Casino Tycoon Stanley Ho’s 17 Kids Find Their Own Paths to Fix Complex Family Ties

February 16, 2022 Macau Industry Updates

From an outsider’s view, the Ho dynasty would seem to have all the makings of a super-sized, real-life version of HBO’s “Succession.”

The patriarch, the late Stanley Ho, fathered 17 children with four different women he called wives, making for a sprawling and complex family tree that’s had its share of disputes.

“If you only have a core business, you definitely cannot involve everyone,” said Winnie Peng, an adjunct associate professor who studies Asian family businesses at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. “With 17 children, how do you give them different positions and ensure they don’t fight against each other?”

The Hos came up with a different solution: Some of the offspring went their own way, leaving management of the casino empire to a select few. That’s helped keep public conflicts largely at bay — the clan showcased unity at Stanley Ho’s funeral in 2020 — even though a local court was tasked last year with naming administrators for his estate after the family failed to reach an agreement.

For the empire, ensuring there is no infighting is particularly important as it faces one of its biggest challenges.

The Ho companies have been under increasing pressure with Covid-19 crippling the casino industry and Macau pushing to decrease its reliance on the sector amid growing scrutiny from the Chinese government. Police recently arrested the heads of the city’s two biggest junket operators, just as the former Portuguese enclave said \\it would reduce the terms of its gaming licenses, which are up for renewal in June. The Hos have three of the six permits.