HONG KONG, July 20 — Hong Kong actor Jacky Heung has settled a gambling debt that recently landed him in legal trouble with a Macau casino operator, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.
On Wednesday, MGM China confirmed that the issue had been resolved and legal proceedings were dropped, just a day after it was reported that its subsidiary MGM Grand Paradise had filed a writ against the actor in the Hong Kong District Court.
“The matter involving Mr Jacky Heung Cho arose from a credit guarantee he provided for a third party. Due to overdue payments not being made, MGM China subsequently initiated standard legal procedures to address the related matters,” the casino group said in a statement, as cited by SCMP.
The court document filed on July 3 alleged that Heung had borrowed HK$2 million (RM1.08 million) from the casino on December 1, 2023, converting the amount into betting chips. He allegedly repaid only part of the sum, leaving an outstanding HK$1.4 million.
While MGM’s statement claimed Heung had acted as a credit guarantor, this was not mentioned in the writ, SCMP noted.
The casino operator stressed that it usually refrains from commenting on its internal gaming operations, but chose to clarify the matter given the public attention it attracted.
“In view of the inconvenience and distress this incident has caused Mr Jacky Heung Cho, our company sincerely requests that all inaccurate or speculative reporting be curbed,” it added.
Jacky Heung, 40, is the eldest son of veteran film producer Charles Heung, the founder of China Star Entertainment. Known for his roles in martial arts films, Heung has in recent years shifted his focus to mainland China, participating in variety shows and building a presence outside Hong Kong.
Heung married Taiwanese actress and model Bea Hayden (Guo Biting) in 2019. The couple have two children.
