Stephen Hand, a pioneer in the casino industry has died at the age of 61. Hand introduced the World Casino Directory to G2E in Las Vegas in 2002, after teaching himself the ropes and building the site for about two years.

Not much is known about his passing, except that he died suddenly on January 6, 2019, according to an obituary in the Halifax Courier.

The casino consultant and longtime executive’s ‘status’ on Skype now reads, “Heading on my travels again,” as it has for well over a year.

Steve clocked over three decades in the casino industry and worked directly or remotely in nearly two dozen countries. Prior to starting the World Casino Directory, he worked at Paradise Island Resort and Casino in the Bahamas (now Atlantis Paradise Island) for over a decade beginning in 1985.

Various high-level management positions followed throughout the years along with consulting, marketing, and customer retention services.

Managerial positions included venues such as:

  • Sun City Casino in South Africa
  • Orbis Hotels and Cherry Casinos in Europe
  • Plantation Club Resort & Casino in Seychelles
  • Royal Haitian Hotels and Casinos
  • The Piranha in Eurasia
  • Koh Kong International in Cambodia

Steve was known to keep more than one iron in the fire at the same time, so it’s not surprising that his 1999 venture, Scarab Casino Management, actually started before his poker advisory which began in 2000 with Poker Consultants – well ahead of the peak in the game’s popularity stateside.

Prior to the LCB Network’s purchase of World Casino Directory in 2017, Bernhard Richter worked tirelessly to expand on Steve’s earlier work and built the company into the casino supersite it is today.

When asked to contribute something about Steve, Richter said:

“I will always remember Steve Hand as a person who helped me get to where I am today, whether by accident or on purpose – and I am eternally grateful to him for that. His skype status “Heading on my travels again,” couldn’t be more perfect for Steve. I prefer to imagine him perpetually on his travels and I hope he finds the great casino in the sky he has been on a lifelong quest to find. Rest in Peace my friend, I am today where I am, in great part, due to you.”

According to a report on intergameonline.com, the funeral was scheduled for noon on January 24, 2019, at Park Wood Crematorium, Elland, Halifax, West Yorkshire, UK.

Steve maintained offices in Asia, Europe, and the United States.