Posted on: October 14, 2025, 10:21h.
Last updated on: October 14, 2025, 10:32h.
- Las Vegas Sands remains invested in Texas politics
- Sands wants to build a casino resort in Dallas
- Sands is heavily backing Texas Senate candidate John Huffman
Las Vegas Sands has contributed millions of dollars to political races in Texas over the past few years. Despite little return on the many campaign contributions, the world’s largest casino operator by market capitalization is showing no signs of folding.
According to campaign finance records disclosed by the Texas Ethics Commission, Texas Sands PAC last month gave state Senate District 9 Republican candidate John Huffman $500K. Huffman, a former city councilor and mayor of Southlake in the Dallas/Fort Worth suburbs, is a self-described “true fiscal conservative” who seeks to cut taxes and reduce regulation.
Sands sees Huffman as a possible state lawmaker who might get on board with the idea of casino gambling as an economic stimulator that could lessen the tax burden on Texans, and keep the many millions of gaming dollars from flowing annually to Oklahoma tribal casinos and commercial casinos in Lake Charles, La. Huffman’s chief opponent for the November 9 special election — Republican Leigh Wambsganss — is on record saying she doesn’t believe gambling is good for society.
The research is conclusive — gambling has a negative impact on families and has a detrimental effect on the community as a whole,” Wambsganss told the Texas Scorecard. “I do not think expanded gambling is right for Texas.”
Huffman says voters — not state lawmakers — should decide whether casinos are right for Texas.
If voters choose expansion, it should be limited, well-regulated, and focused on a small number of high-end destination resorts that create jobs and attract tourism,” Huffman said.
Sands’ largest shareholder is billionaire Dr. Miriam Adelson, who, along with her son-in-law, Patrick Dumont, controls the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks. In late 2023, the Adelsons bought a 69% position in the Mavs from Mark Cuban for about $3.8 billion.
Casino Lobby
Adelson’s late husband, Sheldon Adelson, the founder and longtime chair and CEO of Sands, had sought entry into Texas for many years. Adelson is carrying on her husband’s ambitions.
Adelson’s purchase of the Mavs is thought to give the businesswoman and philanthropist an upper hand in Austin in convincing lawmakers to consider gaming. Her crusade is supported by Cuban, who believes Texas needs to diversify its leisure travel attractions. Adelson and Cuban have suggested building a new NBA arena accompanied by an integrated resort casino.
Adelson and Sands are the lone financiers of Texas Sands PAC. In August, she gave $9.1 million to the political action committee. Sands gave $4,500.
Adelson is also a major backer of the Texas Defense PAC. That committee gave Huffman almost $600K. The Adelson-based committees collectively account for about 94% of Huffman’s total campaign war chest.
Political Irony
Huffman believes it’s quite ironic that Wambsganss opposes casinos in Texas, considering her family made money off gaming. Those claims stem from her husband previously being an investor in a skill gaming manufacturing company that primarily operated in Virginia, the state in which Wambsganss was born before moving to Texas as a child with her military parents.
Skill games in Virginia have been illegal since July 2021, though legal challenges continue. Skill games are slot-like machines that require players to identify winning paylines.
Huffman’s support of casinos is also a bit ironic. Last summer, he posted his family’s favorite cities across the US after being “blessed to travel to all 50 states.” His review for Las Vegas wasn’t exactly an endorsement.
We didn’t gamble — obviously — but we walked the Strip, marveled at the Bellagio Fountains, and soaked in the sensory overload. Glad the kids saw it, but no one was in a hurry to return. Just not our style,” Huffman summarized.
The Texas politician ranked Las Vegas No. 16 among 21 major cities they visited.
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