It is 20 years on and Ho Hsin is now the proud and powerful owner of a chain of casinos in Macau. Unfortunately, he is also the target of many enemies, some of whom are in dangerously close proximity to him. But Ho has faced adversity before and is not about to just roll over and die.

Set in World War II, Casino Tycoon chronicles the story of Benny, a young graduate played by Andy Lau, who flees Hong-Kong during the Japanese invasion and heads for gambling haven Macau. Once in Macau, he impresses a local business man who has ties to organised crime, he slowly builds his way up in the ranks of the Macau underworld which ultimately leads to trouble.