Hybrid gaming legend Roy Thung passed away days after his last WSOP prize money.

Roy Thung, a legendary figure in hybrid gaming, passed away in Las Vegas at the age of 82, less than two weeks after winning his final WSOP prize. He was both a successful entrepreneur and a poker player.

PokerNews has learned that hybrid gaming legend Roy Thung has passed away in Las Vegas.

The cause of death is still unclear, less than two weeks after the late poker player won a prize at the World Series of Poker (WSOP). Thung was not only a beloved and respected poker player, but also the CEO of Independence Holding Co., a company specializing in disability insurance, supplemental health insurance, and group life insurance.

Success in both business and poker

Thung passed away at the age of 82. As a senior executive, he achieved remarkable success in the business world and was featured in Forbes magazine in 2012. The late poker player was born in Indonesia and moved to the United States in 1969. He held a master's degree from the University of Indonesia, but initially struggled to find employment after graduation.

"I persevered and eventually landed a job in the international tax, accounting, and consulting division at Lybrand, Ross Brothers & Montgomery," Thung told Forbes.

In 1976, Thung used a small amount of cash he had saved to acquire a small mail-order company. This business, named Nasco International, flourished over the years, generating over $200 million in revenue after 35 years of his involvement. In the 1980s, he acquired a life and health insurance company and similarly expanded it.

Thung's expertise lies in acquiring promising businesses at low prices and developing them into multi-million dollar ventures. In 1980, he acquired Southern Life & Health Insurance from a homeowner preparing for retirement.

Thung also achieved great success in the poker world, primarily in mixed cash games, but also in tournaments. He made his World Series of Poker debut in 1997, where he finished fifth in the $1,500 Pot-Limit Omaha event, winning $21,150, marking his first WSOP cash prize.

This poker player from White Plains, New York, has nearly $900,000 in live tournament winnings recorded in The Hendon Mob's database. His last major winnings came less than two weeks ago at the 2026 WSOP $5,000 Six-Max No-Limit Hold'em event, where he finished 72nd with $12,390.

Thung also participated in the world's largest mixed-game tournament this summer—the WSOP $50,000 Poker Players Championship—and finished 13th, earning $109,459.

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