Bruce Mathieson (businessman)
Bruce Mathieson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1943 or 1944 (age 81–82) Cobden, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation | Hotelier |
| Children | 3; including Bruce Mathieson, Jnr |
Bruce Mathieson, born in Cobden, Victoria,[1] is an Australian businessman, sometimes referred to as a 'billionaire pub baron'.[2] He is known for his influence in the Australian pub, hotel, and gambling sectors.[3][4][1]
As of 2022, Mathieson and his family collectively own 45% of all poker machines in the state of Victoria.[5] Mathieson reportedly owns 15% of Endeavour Group, a joint venture with Woolworths that owns 340 pubs as well as the Dan Murphy's and BWS liquor chains.[6] In 2022 Mathieson retired from directing that group, and was replaced by his son, Bruce Mathieson Jnr.[6]
Career
Mathieson purchased his first hotel in the mid-1970s, and expanded his portfolio under the Bruce Mathieson Group. By year 2000 he was operating 35 venues in Victoria.[3] In 2000 he negotiated a joint venture with Woolworths that subsequently purchased the ALH Group in 2004 for A$1.4 billion. Many of the venues owned by ALH Group operate poker machines.[7][8] As a result of the venture, Woolworths and Mathieson jointly became the largest poker machine operators in Australia.[3][1]
Mathieson partly owns stockbroker Ord Minnett.[9]
In 2023 Mathieson took a 10 per cent stake in the Star Entertainment Group.[10][11][4] His stake fell to 6.35 per cent after a September 2023 equity raise. Mathieson purchased about A$3 million of Star shares in October 2023.[9] In February 2024, Mathieson increased his stake in Star to 8.21 per cent.[12]
Personal life
Mathieson has multiple children. His son, Bruce Mathieson, Jnr, succeeded him as director of Endeavor Group and ALH Group.[13][14] He has two daughters, who own a significant number of poker machines.[15] Due to his family members ostensibly owning the poker machines independently, their ownership does not exceed the 35% cap on state-wide poker machine ownership.[16][15]
Mathieson was diagnosed with myeloma in 2023.[17]
Net worth
In 2013, Mathieson's net worth was estimated by Forbes at over US$1.00 billion.[18]
| Year | Financial Review Rich List |
Forbes Australia's 50 Richest | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Net worth (A$) | Rank | Net worth (US$) | |
| 2020 | 63 
|
$1.54 billion
|
||
| 2021 | 61
|
$1.81 billion
|
||
| 2022 | ||||
| 2023[19] | 59 
|
$2.13 billion
|
||
| 2024[20] | $1.70 billion
|
|||
| 2025[21] | 130
|
$1.27 billion
|
||
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Icon | Description |
|
Has not changed from the previous year |
|
|
Has increased from the previous year |
|
|
Has decreased from the previous year |
See also
References
- ^ a b c Way, Nicholas (4 August 2005). "Rough and ready". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ Knight, Elizabeth (1 March 2023). "Why this billionaire pub baron raided Star casino shares". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ a b c Stacey, Luke (10 January 2021). "Bruce Mathieson". Michael West. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ a b Mayne, Stephen (1 March 2023). "Inside the Mathieson family's latest pokies play". Crikey. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ Brook, Stephen (17 September 2022). "How one family is buying up thousands of hotel poker machines". The Age. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ a b Brook, Stephen (17 September 2022). "How one family is buying up thousands of hotel poker machines". The Age. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ Brook, Stephen (17 September 2022). "How one family is buying up thousands of hotel poker machines". The Age. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ Mayne, Stephen (1 March 2023). "Inside the Mathieson family's latest pokies play". Crikey. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ a b Thompson, Sarah; Sood, Kanika; Rapaport, Emma (15 October 2023). "Bruce Mathieson back shopping for Star Entertainment shares". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
- ^ Knight, Elizabeth (1 March 2023). "Why this billionaire pub baron raided Star casino shares". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ "Aussie pub and poker machine baron becomes Star Entertainment Group's largest shareholder". IAG. 3 March 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ Carter, Bridget (26 February 2024). "Bruce Mathieson lifts stake in struggling Star Entertainment". The Australian. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ^ Foote, Callum (23 December 2022). "Pub billionaire's Endeavour sails into Captain Cook storm". Michael West. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ "Last drinks for Rich Lister Bruce Mathieson snr at Endeavour". Australian Financial Review. 24 June 2022. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ a b Mayne, Stephen (1 March 2023). "Inside the Mathieson family's latest pokies play". Crikey. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ Brook, Stephen (17 September 2022). "How one family is buying up thousands of hotel poker machines". The Age. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ Di Stefano, Mark (7 October 2024). "Billionaire Bruce Mathieson's rare Viennese cancer treatment". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 14 October 2024.
- ^ "Bruce Mathieson". Forbes. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ Bailey, Michael; Sprague, Julie-anne (26 May 2023). "The 200 richest people in Australia revealed". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
- ^ Redrup, Yolanda; Bailey, Michael (30 May 2024). "Australia's wealthiest 200 now control $625b". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
- ^ Redrup, Yolanda (30 May 2025). "Australia's wealthiest 200 revealed, fortunes blow past $667b". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 31 May 2025.