The Forbes billionaire list for 2023 contains several casino tycoons. 28 of the 2,000+ list of billionaires made a large percentage of their riches through the casino industry, including online gambling.
The US has the most billionaires, with six of the 28 casino tycoons on the 2023 tally. The world’s richest people are worth $12.2 trillion, which is a drop of about $500 billion from 2022.
Dr. Miriam Adelson Keeps Husband’s Legacy Alive
Dr. Miriam Adelson is at the top of the list in the gambling industry and is the 35th-richest person in the world. She is the widow of the late Sheldon Adelson, the founder of Las Vegas Sands, who passed away in 2021.
Adelson’s wealth has increased by $7.5 billion since the 2022 list. The Sands shares rebounded from pandemic lows and soared from $37.64 at the beginning of 2022 to $48 at the end of the year on the New York Stock Exchange.
Dr. Miriam has continued to push for growth. The Las Vegas Sands recently celebrated a win with the gambling legislation in Texas finally passing the first House vote. So their position is set to improve even further.
Other US Gambling Tycoons
Tilman Fertitta is the next richest US gambling tycoon, although his investments are admittedly more diverse than many others on this list. He is the owner of Landry’s Inc, which owns the Golden Nugget casinos chain, which is worth around $8.1 billion. Fertitta also purchased the NBA’s Washington Rockets in 2017.
Steve Wynn comes in after Fertitta and is a name synonymous with the casino industry and online casino games. Wynn is the founder of the renowned Wynn Resorts, whose net worth, despite his having stepped down from business and public life a few years ago, has consistently remained around the $3.2 billion mark.
Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, distant relatives of Tilman, are investors in Red Rock Resorts and Station Casinos. They made their fortune through the sale of UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) in 2016; they bought the UFC brand for $2 million in 2001 and sold it for $4 billion in 2016.
William Boyd is the sixth American casino billionaire on the list. While its net worth declined 3% from 2022 to $2.1 billion in 2023, the Boyd Gaming casino brand owns around 20 casinos nationwide, including three on the Las Vegas Strip.
Will We See More Casino Tycoon Billionaires?
The casino industry is constantly evolving. Ongoing improvement in technology, as well as new legislation in many states in the US, means that casinos can expand rapidly in the online space.
Does this mean more casino tycoons on the Forbes list next year? We will have to wait and see.
