Macau gambling king Stanley Ho dies aged 98

By Clare Jim and Donny Kwok

 

FILE PHOTO: Macau tycoon Stanley Ho celebrates his 85th birthday during a ceremony, in which he donated HK$2.5 million ($320,510) to a charity, in Hong Kong November 20, 2006. REUTERS/Bobby Yip/File Photo

 

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Macau gambling king Stanley Ho, who built a business empire from scratch in the former Portuguese colony and became one of Asia's richest men, died peacefully at the age of 98, his family confirmed on Tuesday.

 

The flamboyant tycoon, who loved to dance and advised his nearest and dearest to shun gambling, headed one of the world's most lucrative gaming businesses through his flagship firm, SJM Holdings Ltd <0880.HK>, valued at about $6 billion.

 

Ho oversaw the transformation of once-sleepy Macau into the world's biggest casino centre, outpacing the United States' Las Vegas strip, and held a monopoly until 2002 when the enclave licensed five other operators to run casinos.

 

"In Hong Kong, Dr Ho had been someone who carried a lot of weight, was highly respected and cherished Hong Kong ... (We) hope to follow our father's footsteps and carry on the responsibility of giving back to the society," his daughter Pansy told media.

 

Shares of companies in the family's empire surged on expectations of potential ownership changes involving Ho's family members.

 

SJM rose as much as 8.5%, passenger transport firm Shun Tak Holdings Ltd <0242.HK> jumped 17.6% and casino operator Melco International Development Ltd <0200.HK> climbed 4.9%, outpacing a 2% gain for the benchmark index <.HSI>.

 

"The market is expecting ... a scramble for inheritance. Under these circumstances there might be changes in company ownership, with some shareholders increasing their stakes," said Kenny Ng, a Hong Kong-based analyst at brokerage Everbright Sun Hung Kai.

 

Last year, Pansy struck a strategic alliance with four shareholders of Stanley Ho's privately owned Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau, or STDM, the holding company for SJM.

 

The deal increased Pansy's control over SJM and put the alliance's influence at SJM ahead of Angela Leong, the casino operator's co-chairman and current wife of Ho.

 

"Investors are keen on SJM in anticipation that it will become more aggressive in its business approach on the back of stronger control of the company and closer ties among its major shareholders," said Steven Leung, a sales director at UOB Kay Hian.

 

MIDDLEMEN

Born in Hong Kong, Ho had four wives and 17 known children. He was forced to restructure his business after a legal battle erupted within the family in 2012 over the family fortune - which Forbes pegged at $2 billion two years earlier.

 

The holding company STDM has stakes in everything from luxury hotels to helicopters and horse racing. Analysts do not expect Ho's death to have an impact on day-to-day operations.

 

SJM is Macau's oldest gambling company. Ho spearheaded what is known in Macau as the junket VIP system, whereby middlemen act on behalf of casinos by extending credit to gamblers and taking responsibility for collecting debts.

 

Some of Ho's children have become successful gaming operators in their own right. Daughter Pansy is the co-chairperson of MGM Resorts International's <MGM.N> Macau unit, MGM China Holdings Ltd <2282.HK>, while son Lawrence runs Melco Resorts & Entertainment Ltd <MLCO.O>.

 

Ho died at the Hong Kong Sanatorium Hospital.

 

(Reporting by Clare Jim, Donny Kwok, Noah Sin and Anne Marie Roantree in Hong Kong; Writing by Christopher Cushing; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-05-26

 

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That rich and such a long life ,only retired a couple of years ago ,way to go .

27 minutes ago, bert bloggs said:

That rich and such a long life ,only retired a couple of years ago ,way to go .

"Ho had four wives and 17 known children."

 

Such people are very fit. Look at Warren Buffett. He is almost 90 and still works. And I am tired already if I walk to a nearby 7-Eleven to buy some beer...

4 hours ago, Oldie said:

"Ho had four wives and 17 known children."

 

Such people are very fit. Look at Warren Buffett. He is almost 90 and still works. And I am tired already if I walk to a nearby 7-Eleven to buy some beer...

Yes, but Warren probably loves his job. Can you imagine working until 90 in a job that you hate?

4 hours ago, Oldie said:

"Ho had four wives and 17 known children."

 

Such people are very fit. Look at Warren Buffett. He is almost 90 and still works. And I am tired already if I walk to a nearby 7-Eleven to buy some beer...

 

There may be a clue in your statement as to why you maybe always tired...?

 

"to buy some beer..."

Interesting character,

I remember the story about the 747 he had ready when China "took over Macau ".

Ready to load as many of the very expensive paintings etc & go if need be

22 hours ago, webfact said:

Ho had four wives

And after he married them each one became a Ho

 

 

7 minutes ago, bendejo said:

And after he married them each one became a Ho

 

 

They even came out with an annual book to keep track of them:

On 5/26/2020 at 10:52 AM, webfact said:

The flamboyant tycoon, who loved to dance and advised his nearest and dearest to shun gambling

Says all you need to know about the advisability of gambling.