Las Vegas Sands Keeps Pouring Millions of Dollars Into Texas Politics
Posted on: January 30, 2026, 09:35h.
Last updated on: January 30, 2026, 09:42h.
- Las Vegas Sands continues to push for casino legislation in Texas
- The company is lobbying state lawmakers to saddle up with gambling
Las Vegas Sands and the company’s controlling stakeholder, Dr. Miriam Adelson, continue to pour millions of dollars into Texas politics in an ongoing crusade to bring casino gambling to the Lone Star State.
Sands’ continued lobbying in Texas comes despite the company’s heavily supported Senate District 9 candidate, Republican John Huffman, not securing enough votes during the November election to move to the runoff. Sands spent $500K on Huffman’s campaign on the belief that he would support casino liberalization.
Unfazed, Texas Scorecard, a media outlet dedicated to self-governance and investigative journalism, reports that Sands has contributed almost $10 million to its Texas political action committee (PAC) ahead of the 2026 Republican primaries set for March 3.
Incumbent Sen. John Cornyn (R) is expected to field a primary challenge from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Texans will also elect 38 members to serve in the US House on November 3. The state Senate and House, along with the governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general’s office, are also on the 2026 ballot.
New Leadership in Texas?
Las Vegas Sands has been pouring money into Texas politics for years. The lobbying hasn’t yet paid off.
Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) are front-runners to be reelected, though neither is yet willing to support casino gambling. Still, Sands believes several state incumbents and candidates can be won over.
Texas Scorecard reports that Texas Sands PAC has contributed to help defend the seats of Rep. Angelia Orr (R-District 13) and Rep. Stan Kitzman (R-District 85). The casino lobbying arm is supporting candidate Lisa McEntire, who is running to unseat Rep. Andy Hopper (R-District 64), and challenger Kyle Morris against Rep. David Lowe (R-District 91).
While Abbot and Patrick are the betting favorites, their approval ratings are lower than ever. Texas doesn’t have term limits, but even some Republicans believe it’s time for a change.
Last fall, Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Vikki Goodwin, currently a state representative of the 47th district, told Casino.org that while casinos aren’t a pillar of her campaign, if that’s what the people want, they should be heard.
We need to listen to the voters of Texas. There are a number of issues where I think a vast majority of Texans feel one way and their elected representatives are doing the opposite,” Goodwin said. “Gambling may be one of those things.”
Many Texans unquestionably enjoy gambling, but to find legal slot machines and table games, they need to travel to neighboring Louisiana and Oklahoma, or make the short flight to Las Vegas.
Texas Hold’em
It’s a bit ironic that the most popular form of poker, Texas Hold’em, isn’t legal in Texas. The game’s birthplace is said to be Robstown, Texas, with the format originating in the early 20th century.
In 2007, the Texas Legislature officially recognized Robstown as the birthplace of Texas Hold’em through a resolution.
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