Soaring volumes from high-stakes gamblers saw profits nearly quadruple last year at SJM Holdings, the Macau casino operator formerly controlled by Stanley Ho Hung-sun.
SJM's VIP chip sales, a measure of bets placed on private baccarat tables by high-rollers, rose 85.6 per cent to HK$1.33 trillion last year.
That represents an average of HK$3.65 billion wagered every day - more than the average daily value of trading in shares of HSBC Holdings on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange last year.
For the past three months, control of SJM was the focus of bitter in-fighting among Ho's 16 surviving children from four wives. Ho twice filed - and twice withdrew - lawsuits against some of them.
Following a disputed December share transfer, Ho's former stake in the casino firm is now ultimately controlled by his third wife Ina Chan Un Chan and second wife Lucina Laam King-ying's five children: Pansy Ho Chiu-king, Daisy Ho Chiu-fung, Maisy Ho Chiu-ha, Josie Ho Chiu-yee and Lawrence Ho Yau-lung.
Ho and feuding relatives last week announced the battle for control of his vast fortune had been resolved. But industry observers questioned whether the truce would hold.
The stakes are high, and growing. SJM yesterday said it booked record net profits of HK$3.56 billion, up nearly fourfold from HK$906.7 million in recession-hit 2009.