Lui Che Woo, Casino Tycoon, Dies at 95

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Lui Che Woo, the casino tycoon that helped elevate Macau above Las Vegas in gambling revenues, passed away at the age of 95, as confirmed by his company on Monday.

Lui, chairman of Galaxy Entertainment, died on November 7 in Hong Kong. His company noted that his "vision, tremendous leadership, and guidance" laid the groundwork for the group's success.

As chairman of K. Wah Group, a Hong Kong-listed company initially focused on construction and quarrying, Lui was recognized as an influential businessman with strong ties to the Chinese government.

Known as one of Hong Kong's richest individuals, Lui preferred a low profile, often seen wearing a flat cap around the city and at press conferences.

A member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, he had close connections to Beijing and was part of a business delegation that met President Xi Jinping in 2014.

Galaxy Entertainment holds one of six valuable gaming licenses granted after Macau liberalized its casino industry in 2002. Competing against rivals like the late Stanley Ho, U.S. billionaire Sheldon Adelson, and Steve Wynn, Lui positioned Galaxy as a leading operator in Macau, complete with several large casino resorts on both the Cotai strip and the main peninsula.

Early Life

Born on August 9, 1929, in Jiangmen, Guangdong, Lui moved with his family to Hong Kong at age 4. During Japan's occupation in the 1940s, he started working in food manufacturing at age 13.

He ventured into car parts, heavy machinery, quarrying, and construction materials businesses. In the 1960s, he transitioned to property investments, expanding into hotels in the 1980s.

His company, K. Wah, operates over 200 subsidiaries globally, including in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Southeast Asia.

A noted philanthropist, Lui supported advancements in medical care, education, and information technology. He also offered an annual cash award of HK$20 million ($2.57 million) to honor those promoting sustainable development and contributions to humanity.

Macau Empire

Survived by his wife Chiu Kam Ping and five children, Lui remained actively engaged in the casino industry, delegating daily operations of Galaxy to his son Francis, who is the deputy chairman. Francis has been pivotal in driving the company’s projects in Macau, where Galaxy owns the most land on the Cotai strip.

Galaxy's properties include extensive resorts on Cotai, featuring the largest indoor arena in the territory, unveiled last December.

The company is set to announce a new chairman soon and assures that Lui’s passing will not affect its operations.

($1 = 7.7756 Hong Kong dollars)