Las Vegas Sands-Backed PACs Pour $10M Into Texas Primaries to Support Casino Legalization

Political action committees (PACs) backed by Las Vegas Sands (LVS) owner Miriam Adelson are ramping up spending ahead of the Mar. 3 Republican primaries, blanketing voters with mailers as the company renews its push to legalize destination casinos in Texas.

According to the Dallas Express, Adelson contributed nearly $10 million to the Texas Defense PAC, funding advertising and direct-mail campaigns in contested Senate and House races.

The Texas Defense PAC backs incumbents friendly to gambling interests and targets lawmakers who oppose casino expansion. In some races, an affiliated group, the Texas Sands PAC, has also directly funded candidates.

Campaign finance disclosures and previous reporting show the Sands-aligned PACs have built up millions of dollars over multiple election cycles, signaling a sustained political strategy rather than a short-term primary push.

Several Senate race participants pushed back. State Rep. Trent Ashby distanced himself from the Texas Defense PAC after it sent mail in support of his campaign.

In a statement, he said he opposes casino gambling in Texas and rejected what he called “deceitful campaign tactics attempting to misrepresent” his position. Senate District 4 challenger Brett Ligon issued a similar response.

Sands Spends Millions on Lobbyists and Campaigns

LVS has also invested heavily in lobbying efforts. In 2021 alone, the company had more than 100 lobbyists in Austin, paying them between $5 and $10 million.

Over the last two years, the Texas Sands PAC and the Texas Defense PAC have donated more than $15 million to candidates statewide and reportedly hold more than $16 million in cash for renewed efforts this cycle.

Dallas Resort Proposal Remains on Hold

LVS founder Sheldon Adelson made Texas a top priority before his death in 2021. He argued the state’s size and population could support destination-style casino resorts like those in Las Vegas and Singapore.

Sheldon Adelson’s widow, Miriam Adelson, has continued her late husband’s push in Texas. She also bought a majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks after selling $2 billion in LVS shares. The 73% stake in the NBA team cost her about $3.8 billion in December 2023. Mark Cuban retained control of basketball operations and a 27% ownership interest.

LVS has proposed a new NBA arena as part of an integrated resort with a casino. The company bought a 108-acre parcel in Irving, the former site of Texas Stadium. Local opposition and legislative inaction stalled the plan.

Ahead of an Irving City Council vote in March 2025, Sands removed casino-style gaming from the proposal. The company said proceeding without gaming “doesn’t make sense.”

In an interview with NBC in November, LVS Senior Vice President Andy Abboud said the company still sees Dallas as a viable market. He said construction of a resort would take two to three years.

Casino Legislation Faces Steep Hurdles

While LVS is heavily investing in Texas, conservative lawmakers and religious groups have strongly opposed those efforts.

One of the biggest hurdles is that legalizing commercial casinos would require a constitutional amendment. That process requires a two-thirds majority in the House and the Senate, as well as voter approval.

GOP leadership has continuously resisted the idea. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who controls the Senate, has repeatedly said Texas is “nowhere close” to securing enough votes to legalize casinos or sports betting. He has stated he wouldn’t bring gambling legislation to the floor if it divides his caucus.

Patrick has also said that Republicans wouldn’t support a Democratic proposal for gambling expansion. His resistance might continue for the foreseeable future as he is seeking reelection.

Meanwhile, Governor Greg Abbott commented in December 2025 that he was “not there yet” on casino legislation, even though he had previously signaled openness to sports betting.

Focus Remains on Asia as Texas Stalls

LVS also tried to expand into Florida without success. In 2022, the company contributed tens of millions of dollars to a PAC pushing to legalize casinos in North Florida. The ballot initiative failed to collect enough signatures. The company also briefly pursued a casino in the New York City area, but withdrew in the early stages of the process.

Today, despite its name, LVS does not operate properties in the U.S. Instead, it focuses on Asia, with casinos in Singapore and Macau. The company reported Q4 2025 earnings on Jan. 28, beating revenue and earnings estimates.

Strong performance in Asia now contrasts sharply with stalled progress in Texas. Despite years of political spending, casino expansion in the state remains out of reach.