Notes » March 2010

Ho Who?

New Jersey's Division of Gaming Enforcement has released a report that baldly states that Stanley Ho Hung-sun, Macao's casino king, is "an associate of known and suspected triads" and has allowed "organised crime to operate and thrive within his casinos".

The 88-year-old Stanley Ho has never been arrested and has steadfastly denied persistent rumors of triad links, yet it's common knowledge the triads are heavily invested in the gaming industry. Even if Ho has no ties whatsoever, in the minds of the public the mere presence of triads suggests otherwise.

Sure, it's unfair, but that's life in the spotlight. One cannot discount the possibility of triad involvement, because in the past many important men in Hong Kong, Macao and Shanghai were members of one or more secret societies, such as Sun Yat-sen, the father of modern China. Even though Sun never participated in criminal activities, it was politic to gain the support of various factions.

It's the way things get done here. But even if Ho is not involved, he knows full well that the triads are circulating in his and other casinos. Anyone who says otherwise is just naive, just as those who claim nothing nefarious goes on in Las Vegas or Atlantic City are naive. Once organised crime gets a toe in the door it's exceedingly difficult to remove it.

In any event, it doesn't much matter at this point, Ho's not getting any younger and as many consider the man to be a demigod (billionaires tend to be treated as such on this side of the pond), it would take a heck of lot more than the assertions of one state's gaming division to tarnish his shine. And if you were to ask the triads, they would likely tell you that they couldn't care less.

It matters not who's at the top when there's boatloads of money to be made.

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