Wynn sues high-stakes gambler Simon Pan over unpaid gambling debt

Casino giant Wynn Resorts has sued Simon Pan, a former brothel operator of Chinese origin. Pan is alleged to have links to organised crime groups. According to the company, Pan currently lives in Melbourne, Australia, and between 31 December 2025 and 6 January 2026 he gambled more than HKD 17.8 million (US$2.26 million) at the company's flagship property in Macau. This led to a debt of several hundred thousand dollars, which has not been paid.

According to documents Wynn filed with the Supreme Court of Victoria, the interest rate on the credit line rises to as much as 18 percent. The company is seeking recovery of the debt along with collection costs, including legal fees, recovery expenses and court costs.

This series of play was partly financed by a HKD 2 million (approximately US$256,000) credit line from Wynn. Pan is alleged to have failed to repay this loan either, after finishing the trip with a shortfall of HKD 1.4 million (US$179,000).

Casinos often extend credit lines to high-stakes players to reduce the security risks of carrying cash and to let players keep gambling after their own funds run out. Pan's name had previously surfaced in gambling scandals. Because of his work as a junket operator for Crown and Star, he was at the centre of investigations in Victoria and New South Wales. Those investigations found that both casinos had broken gambling laws by handing chips to high-stakes players in exchange for blank cheques.

Wynn's third-quarter revenue fell 8 percent to US$1.69 billion. Company executives nonetheless said they maintain operational discipline in all the regions where it operates.