
Top 10 Richest Casino Owners in the World 2025
By ICON TEAM | Published on Sep 02, 2025

The casino business is a global industry worth billions of dollars that has made a small handful of smart entrepreneurs very rich. These people have developed empires by making smart investments, coming up with new business strategies, and knowing a lot about the casino and hospitality industries. The richest casino owners in 2025 have changed the business and made huge amounts of money. They own everything from the flashy resorts in Las Vegas to the gaming hubs in Macau and the online betting world. Based on the most recent data and industry knowledge, we look at the top 10 richest casino owners, how much money they have, and how they have changed the worldwide gaming scene.
List Of Top 10 Richest Casino Owners in the World 2025:
1. James Packer:
In 2025, Australian billionaire James Packer will be the richest casino owner, with a net worth of more than $3.2 billion. Packer turned his family's inheritance into a global casino empire through Crown Resorts, one of Australia's biggest gaming and entertainment firms. He was the heir to the Packer media and gambling dynasty. Crown runs high-end casinos in Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney, and it stays on top of the luxury gaming market even though it has to deal with regulatory issues. Packer's smart investments in Macau and Las Vegas through partnerships with Melco Resorts have made him even more powerful. In 2025, he is still focused on internet gambling and VIP gaming clubs, which are for wealthy clients. Packer left Crown's board in 2018 because of personal and legal concerns, but his fortune and power in the business are still huge, making him one of the top casino moguls.
2. Phil Ruffin:
Phil Ruffin, an American casino mogul, is in second place with a net worth of $4.6 billion in 2025. Ruffin's rise from a poor background—his father was a grocer—to billionaire shows how varied his entrepreneurial drive is. Ruffin started off in the 1970s with convenience stores and self-service petrol stations. In 1995, he bought the Crystal Palace resort in the Bahamas and got into the casino business. In 2007, he made his biggest deal ever when he sold the New Frontier Casino in Las Vegas for $1.2 billion, which was the highest amount ever paid for an acre on the Strip. Ruffin owns famous Las Vegas properties like Treasure Island and Circus Circus, which he bought from MGM Resorts for $825 million in 2019. His financial sense is so strong that he owns half of Trump International Hotel Las Vegas. At 87, he refuses to retire, which shows how committed he is to his casino empire.
3. Stanley Ho:
Stanley Ho, who was regarded as the "Godfather of Macau," died in 2020. His family's riches and enterprises put him on this list after he died, and his legacy still affects the casino industry. At the time of his death, Ho's wealth was thought to be close to $7 billion. His daughter Pansy Ho and other family members got most of it. Through his company, SJM Holdings, which runs 19 casinos, including the famous Grand Lisboa, Ho turned Macau into the world's biggest gaming center. His 40-year monopoly on Macau's gaming sector, which he won through a public tender in 1960, changed the economy of the area. Under Shun Tak Holdings, Ho was also involved in real estate, shipping, banking, and tourism. His daughter Pansy Ho, who is worth more than $4 billion, is still in charge of MGM China in 2025. This means that the Ho family will continue to have a big impact on Macau's gambling industry.
4. Denise Coates:
Denise Coates, the founder and co-CEO of Bet365, is the fourth richest woman in the world with a net worth of more than $7.3 billion. She is one of the richest self-made women in the world. Coates changed the world of online gambling when he started Bet365 in 2001. He bought the domain for $25,000 with a £15 million loan from the Royal Bank of Scotland. Her platform's easy-to-use interface, competitive odds, and wide range of options, including sports betting and live casino games, moved the gambling business from physical locations to digital ones. Bet365, which is based in the UK, is now one of the biggest online betting sites in the world, making billions of dollars in revenue. Coates' focus on digital innovation and her projected yearly income of $508 million have made her a leader in the world of online gambling. Her charitable work, especially in education and healthcare, shows how she has made a difference outside of gaming.
5. Johann Graf:
Johann Graf, a former butcher who is now a billionaire, is in fifth place with a net worth of more than $7.8 billion. Graf changed the gaming technology business when he started Novomatic Group, which is now one of the world's biggest providers of gaming machines and casino management systems. Graf started Novomatic in 1980, after making pinball machines in the 1970s. Today, the company operates in more than 50 countries, with a strong presence in Europe's casino business. Graf is now a global powerhouse with to Novomatic's new ideas in video poker, slots, and online gaming. His ascent from humble origins to being Austria's richest man shows what it means to have an entrepreneurial vision. His company's growth into both land-based and online gaming will keep him influential in 2025. Graf's tale shows that coming up with new ideas for game technology can get you a lot of money.
6. Kirk Kerkorian:
Kirk Kerkorian, who died in 2015, is still a renowned figure in the casino business, and his work earned him a spot on our list after he died. Kerkorian was known as the "father of the mega-resort," and his net worth peaked at about $11 billion because he changed Las Vegas in a big way. He created famous hotels like the International Hotel (1969), the MGM Grand Hotel (1973), and the MGM Grand (1993) through his company, Tracinda Corporation. Each of these hotels set new benchmarks for elegance and size. Kerkorian bought 80 acres on the Las Vegas Strip in 1962 for $960,000 and sold it for $9 million. This land was the start of Caesars Palace. He got even richer by investing in a variety of businesses, including as automotive companies and movie studios like Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. MGM Resorts, which Kerkorian founded, is still shaping the worldwide casino business in 2025.
7. Steve Wynn:
Steve Wynn, who is sometimes called the "King of Las Vegas," is in seventh place with a net worth of $3.7 billion in 2025. Wynn changed the meaning of luxury in the casino business with famous places like The Mirage, Bellagio, and Wynn Resorts, which combined beautiful design with top-notch gaming. Wynn began by buying a share in the Las Vegas Frontier Hotel in 1967. He eventually bought the Golden Nugget and created a global business including resorts in Macau and Boston. He set a new standard for casino resorts by putting a lot of emphasis on high-end services, magnificent art collections, and majestic architecture. Wynn resigned as CEO of Wynn Resorts in 2018 because of sexual misconduct charges, but his brand is still popular with both high rollers and casual gamers. His net worth shows how much he has changed the industry over time.
8. Sheldon Adelson:
Sheldon Adelson, who died in 2021, was the former CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corporation and left behind a huge legacy. His wife, Miriam Adelson, would inherit an estimated $32.1 billion in 2025. Adelson's riches, which peaked at $33.5 billion, came from his groundbreaking casino-resort strategy, which combined gambling with retail, entertainment, and conference facilities. The Sands Hotel was the first property he bought in 1988, and it was the start of his empire. It now includes The Venetian, Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, and other buildings in Macau. Adelson's narrative of going from selling newspapers at age 10 to making $32 million a day inspired entrepreneurs all around the world. Miriam Adelson is still in charge of Las Vegas Sands in 2025, when she is the largest shareholder. The corporation is still the biggest player in the worldwide gambling sector.
9. Lui Che-woo:
Hong Kong billionaire Lui Che-woo is in ninth place with a net worth of more than $14 billion. This is because he is in charge of Galaxy Entertainment Group. At the age of 73, Lui entered the casino business and turned Macau into a global gambling center. Galaxy Macau, for example, set new norms for luxury with its 1,500 slots, 650 table games, and the world's largest rooftop wave pool. He started building casinos in 2002, and his past success in construction and real estate helped him do well in that business. Galaxy Entertainment's six casinos in Macau made $6.8 billion in 2019. Lui's strategic insight keeps the company growing, with plans for new resorts in Japan. At 93, Lui is still a huge name in Asia's casino business, combining luxury with new ideas.
10. Tilman Fertitta:
Tilman Fertitta stands at the end of the list, with a net worth of $11.3 billion in 2025. Fertitta turned his family's restaurant business into a casino empire as the CEO of Landry's Inc. He did this by buying Golden Nugget Casinos in 2005. His portfolio now has Golden Nugget hotels in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Biloxi, and Lake Charles, Louisiana. Fertitta's investments in a wide range of businesses, including hotels, restaurants, and entertainment companies like Morton’s Steakhouse and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., have made him richer. He was always coming up with new ideas, and he brought the Golden Nugget brand back to life by adding things like pools, spas, and internet slot machines. Fertitta is one of the most famous casino owners in the United States because of his entrepreneurial zeal and smart purchases, such the Trump Marina in 2011.
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