Las Vegas Sands Pours $1.1 Million into Campaign of Texas Casino Legalization Supporter

^{Pictured: John Huffman, candidate for the Texas Senate}

Gaming giant Las Vegas Sands (LVS) has provided major financial support to a Texas Senate candidate who advocates for the legalization of casinos, Texas Scorecard and other local media report.

The substantial funding of former Southlake Mayor John Huffman’s campaign — he is running for the Texas State Senate in District 9 — has turned what was expected to be a local race (scheduled for November 4, 2025) into a broader debate about the future of gambling in Texas and the role of corporate money in regional politics.

The Texas Sands PAC, a political committee affiliated with LVS, contributed $500,000 to Huffman’s campaign in late September. Another $600,000 was funneled into advertising efforts through the Texas Defense PAC, financed by billionaire Miriam Adelson, the owner of Las Vegas Sands.

According to watchdog group Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, roughly 94% of all funding tied to Huffman’s campaign has come from entities connected to LVS.

The company’s involvement reflects its long-standing push to legalize casino resorts in Texas. LVS has spent years promoting the idea of large-scale casino developments, arguing that they would create jobs, boost tax revenues, and prevent gamblers from leaving the state for Oklahoma and Louisiana. The firm operates major integrated resorts in Macau and Singapore, and has previously expressed interest in building a similar complex in the Dallas area.

Huffman describes himself as a fiscal conservative and insists his position on gambling remains unchanged. He says the question of casino legalization should be decided by Texans themselves. While he supports allowing a limited number of licensed casino resorts, he opposes the widespread availability of slot machines and small gaming halls.

The special election was called to fill the seat vacated earlier this year by former Senator Kelly Hancock.

Regional outlets note that the vote has effectively become a referendum on Texas’s gambling future — whether the state will ease its long-standing resistance to casinos or maintain the current prohibition.

Earlier, Gambling Park reported that U.S. President Donald Trump publicly thanked LVS owner Miriam Adelson for her support of Israel.