Stanley Ho Net Worth – Тhe Man behind Macau’s Gambling Industry Success
Stanley Ho Hung-sun, a name synonymous with success in the world of gambling, was a Hong Kong-Macau billionaire businessman with a legacy that continues to inspire.
- In this article
- Highlights
- Beginnings
- Career
- Stanley Ho Net Worth
- Where Is He Today?
- FAQ
Holding a government-granted monopoly over the Macau gambling industry for 40 years, his contributions to the world of casinos were unparalleled, earning him the well-deserved nicknames of Godfather and King of Gambling.
Ho’s early career began with clerical work at a Japanese-owned import-export in Macau. Through his ingenuity, he made his first fortune smuggling luxury goods across the Chinese border from Macau during World War II.
This feat marked the beginning of a journey leading to his becoming the founder and chairman of SJM Holding, which owns nineteen of the most popular land-based casinos in Macau, including the Grand Lisboa.
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BornStanley Ho’s influence went beyond the casino floors. He owned various businesses across different sectors, such as entertainment, tourism, shipping, real estate, banking, and air transport.
His conglomerate is estimated to employ almost one-fourth of Macau’s total workforce.
With a life rich in entrepreneurial triumphs, Stanley Ho’s biography can be compared to ultra-successful casino moguls like Sheldon Adelson and Lui Che Woo. His life is a testimony to strategic brilliance, unwavering determination, and one man's ability to transform an entire industry.
Stay tuned as we explore Stanley Ho net worth, his accomplishments, as well as his role in the gambling world and Macau’s economic development.
Stanley Ho Highlights
- The first student from Class D to be granted a scholarship to the University of Hong Kong
- He made his first fortune by smuggling luxury goods across the Chinese border from Macau
- He was the first living Macancese resident to have a local street named in his honor
- He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.)
- Had monopoly over Macau’s gambling scene for 40 years
- Launched Asia’s first football and basketball lottery
- He had four wives and 17 children
Stanley Ho Early Years and Upbringing
Born into China’s esteemed and influential Hotun family in 1921, Ho’s early years were an intriguing mix of privilege and challenge.
Despite his family's prominence, Ho faced his fair share of hardship. His childhood was rocked by his father’s bankruptcy, a devastating blow to the family’s status and fortune.
Tragically, two of his brothers committed suicide during this tumultuous period.
At the same time, education proved to be both a challenge and an opportunity for Ho. He initially attended Queen’s College in Hong Kong, where he was placed in Class D, the lowest level in the then Hong Kong Class System, due to unsatisfactory academic performance.
Displaying resilience and determination, characteristics that would later define his business career, Ho earned a scholarship to the University of Hong Kong. Remarkably, he became the first student from Class D to be granted such an opportunity.
Yet, history intervened just as his academic journey was taking an upturn. The outbreak of World War II in 1942 forced Ho’s family to flee Hong Kong for Macau.
This event marked a pivotal point in his life, laying the groundwork for his future success.
Stanley Ho Career – Business Endevours and Investments
Stanley Ho began his career with clerical work at a Japanese-owned import-export firm in Macau, a modest start for someone who would become a giant in Macau's gambling industry.
During World War II, Ho's first fortune came from smuggling luxury goods to the China border from Macau, displaying the risk-taking that would become his trademark.
In 1943, Ho’s entrepreneurial spirit led him to set up a kerosene company and a construction business, laying the foundation for his diverse investment portfolio.
His next big play came in 1961 when, along with partners like Hong Kong tycoon Henry Fok and one of the most popular gamblers in the country Yip Hon, he boldly bid for Macau’s gaming monopoly license.
By bidding high and promising to promote tourism and develop infrastructure, they won the public tender, winning a hand that marked the start of Macau’s transformation into a global gambling hub.
Ho didn’t stop there. He founded Sjun Takl Holding Ltd., listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange, and through TurboJET, owned one of the world’s largest fleets of high-speed jetfoils, flying passengers between Hong Kong and Macau.
From taking complete control of the Jockey Club in 1989 to launching Asia’s first football and basketball lottery, SLOT, Ho’s influence in Macau reached far and wide.
In 1998, he became the first living Macancese resident to have a local street named in his honor.
“I believe now, to succeed, you must have the spirit of hard-working, the enthusiasm, enthusiasm for learning and the spirit of making good on your promises.”
Honours and Achievements of the Famous Businessman
Ho’s influence in the world of gambling and beyond did not go unnoticed. His remarkable achievements have been recognized with multiple prestigious honors that would make even the most influential people on the planet take notice.
In the New Year Honours of 1990, Ho was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.) for services to the community in Hong Kong.
In 1995, he received the Grã-Cruz da Ordem do Infante Dom Henrique from Portugal, the nation’s highest civilian honor, for his contributions to society.
In 2001, Macau awarded him the coveted Golden Lotus Meda of Honour, followed by the Gold Bauhinia Star two years later and the Grand Lotus Medal of Honour in 2007, the Medal for Business Entrepreneurialism in 2008, The Visionary Award at the G2E Asia (2009), and the Grand Bauhinia Medal (2010).
Family and Personal Life
Stanley Ho’s family life was as multifaceted and intriguing as his business endeavors. Ho, the patriarch of a large family, had 17 children born to four women, all of whom he referred to as his wives.
This arrangement, while unorthodox by modern standards, was legal in Hong Kong until 1972, allowing for polygamous unions.
In 1942, Ho’s marriage to Clementina Ângela Leitão marked the beginning of his familial journey, and the couple had four children.
Their relationship was followed by Ho’s partnership with Lucina Azul Jean Ying in the late 1950s, a connection that resulted in five children.
Among these offspring are notable futures like Daisy Ho, who succeeded her father as the chairman of SJM.
Pansy Ho is a prominent partner in MGM Macau, Lawrence Ho, CEO of Melco Crown Entertainment, and Josie Ho, an accomplished rock singer and actress.
The 1980s brought new relationships into Ho’s life. He began a relationship with Ina Chan in 1985, a bond formed when Chan was nursing Ho’s wife Clementina following a car accident. This partnership yielded three children: Laurinda Ho, Florinda Ho, and Orlando Ho.
Lastly, in 1988, Ho’s relationship with his dance instructor, Angela Leong On-kei, blossomed. They had four children: Sabrina Ho, Arnaldo Ho, Mario, and Alice Ho. Angela Leong became an influential member of the Legislative Assembly in Macau.
Stanley Ho Net Worth and Fortune
The Macau gambling king constructed an empire that made him one of Asia’s wealthiest men, amassing a staggering net worth that’s as much a symbol of his success as his opulent casinos.
Beginning his journey in the once sleepy peninsula of Macau, Ho’s four-decade monopoly on gambling allowed him to transform the region into the world’s biggest casino center.
Through his privately held company, Sociedade de Turismo e Diversões de Macau (STDM), he acquired stakes in diverse industries, from luxury hotels to helicopters and horse racing.
The rise of Stanley Ho’s net worth has been nothing short of meteoric. In 1992, he graced Forbes’ list of world’s Billionaires with a net worth of at least $1.1 billion. By 2010, Forbes reported a doubled fortune to $2 billion before he left the ranking the following year.
The peak of his financial achievement came upon his retirement from SJM Holding in 2018. At that time, Stanley Ho net worth was estimated to be around $6.4 billion.
Where Is Stanley Ho Today?
After a stroke in 2009, Ho faced deteriorating health in his final years. In 2020, it was reported that he was in a serious state as his condition became critical.
Stanley Ho passed away at the Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital on May 26, 2020, at the age of 98.
His burial took place a year later, providing a final farewell to a man whose vision and innovation left an indelible mark on Macau and the gambling world.
FAQ
Who Is Stanley Ho?
Stanley Ho was a legendary billionaire casino magnate from Hong Kong-Macau, known as the “Godfather” or “King of Gambling.” He transformed Macau from a tiny fishing peninsula into the world’s largest casino center.
Is Stanley Ho Married?
Stanley Ho had relationships with four women whom he called his wives. Polygamy was legal in Hong Kong until 1971, and he fathered 17 children.
Is Stanley Ho Alive?
Stanley Ho passed away on May 26, 2020, at the age of 98, after a prolonged period of poor health.
What Is Stanley Ho Net Worth?
At the time of his retirement from SJM Holding in 2018, Stanley Ho’s net worth was estimated to be around $6.4 billion.
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