Forbes said it was a record year for the richest people on earth, as the number of billionaires jumped 13 % to 2,043, from 1,810 in 2016. It was the first time ever that the magazine has confirmed more than 2,000 people as having ten-figure-fortunes, it said.
Sheldon Adelson, chairman and chief executive of casino developer Las Vegas Sands Corp, which operates casinos in Macau and Singapore, is the richest entrepreneur among gaming billionaires.
Adelson ranked 20th among billionaires worldwide in the Forbes 2017 World’s Billionaires list with an estimated net worth of US$ 30.4 billion. It was a US$ 5.2-billion increase – or 20.6 % – on his 2016 estimated net worth of US$ 25.2 billion, when he was in 22nd spot.
Lui Che Woo, founder and chairman of Macau gaming operator Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd, climbed 42 places to 109th, on this year’s list. He is ranked second among gaming billionaires, with an estimated US$ 12.1 billion, up from US$ 7.6 billion last year.
Johann Graf, founder and CEO of Austrian gaming equipment maker Novomatic AG, is the third-richest gaming billionaire in the world. Graf is worth an estimated US$ 7.2 billion, ranking 194th in this year’s overall list.
Members of the Ho family – Pansy Ho Chiu King and Lawrence Ho Yau Lung, children of Macau casino tycoon Stanley Ho Hung Sun – also saw their wealth grow this year.
