Stanley Ho, the Macao gaming tycoon, is in advanced talks to sell a majority stake in his empire’s banking arm to China’s largest lender, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.

People familiar with the situation said discussions between Mr Ho’s Seng Heng Bank and ICBC had been under way for three months and believed a deal was edging closer. One person said: “These talks have become more and more serious, although nothing has been finalised yet.”