Galaxy Entertainment Group’s Francis Lui tops Asian Gaming Power 50 for fifth year in a row

Galaxy Entertainment Group Vice Chairman Francis Lui has been named the most influential person in the Asian gaming industry for the fifth year in a row after topping IAG’s Asian Gaming Power 50 list for 2023.

The Asian Gaming Power 50 is Inside Asian Gaming’s annual list of the 50 most influential individuals in the industry across the Asia-Pacific region, as ranked by a panel of esteemed judges boasting decades of industry experience.

The 2023 Asian Gaming Power 50 was announced at a sumptuous Black Tie Gala Dinner held in the Grand Ballroom at MGM MACAU on Friday evening.

Lui’s success represents the fifth consecutive year he has topped the list and the seventh overall, having previously ranked number 1 in 2011 and 2012, and every year since 2019.

Moving into second spot in 2023 is Melco Resorts Chairman and CEO Lawrence Ho, whose company has benefited from the reopening of Macau’s borders in January. Melco also opened Studio City Phase 2 and its first integrated resort outside Asia, City of Dreams Mediterranean, in 2023.

Dropping back one place this year to third is Genting Berhad Chairman and CEO Lim Kok Thay, while Las Vegas Sands Chairman and CEO Robert Goldstein earns his highest ever position at number 4 thanks to the strong recovery of his company’s Macau subsidiary Sands China and the impressively strong performance of its Singapore icon Marina Bay Sands.

Rounding out the top five is MGM China Chairperson and Executive Director Pansy Ho, with MGM’s Macau entity having enjoyed greater market share this year after being granted 198 additional gaming tables under its new 10-year concession. Some would argue her place could be even higher given MGM’s strong performance in Macau 2023, but the judges seemingly nodded to the sheer strength and volume of business commanded by the top four.

Seven people from the 2022 Asian Gaming Power 50 have fallen off this year’s list, with six of the seven moving in to replace them appearing for the very first time, including the CEO and Vice Chairman of Newport World Resorts owner Alliance Global Group, Kevin Tan, and Universal Hotels and Resorts Inc’s Frederick Go, who oversees NUSTAR Resort and Casino in Cebu.

Also included for the first time are Wynn Macau COO Frederic Luvisutto, The Lottery Corp’s Sue Van Der Merwe, recently appointed Japan Racing Association President and CEO Masayoshi Yoshida and Star Entertainment Group’s Robbie Cooke.

A huge thankyou goes out to all of IAG’s sponsors for this year’s Asian Gaming Power 50 Black Tie Gala Dinner, including Venue Sponsor MGM Macau; Welcome Cocktails Sponsors Bloomberry Resorts Corporation and Solaire Resort Entertainment City; Platinum Sponsors Aristocrat, IGT, Light & Wonder and Mega Fortris Group; and Gold Sponsors Angel, Galaxy Entertainment Group, Hann Resorts, Macau SLOT, Melco Resorts, Okada Manila, Sands China, SJM Resorts and Wynn Macau.

The 17th Asian Gaming Power 50 Black Tie Gala Dinner will take place on Friday 1 November 2024 and it is currently planned to be held in Manila.

For more information visit www.iagpower50.com.

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