Texas Casino Legalization Stalls Again as Sands PAC Spending Falls Short
Las Vegas Sands-backed PAC spending failed to unseat anti-gambling incumbents in Texas primaries
Las Vegas Sands has spent years and millions of dollars trying to crack open Texas to casino gambling.
After the 2026 primaries, the company is no closer to that goal. In fact, according to at least one political analyst, it is further away than it has ever been. This came when things were looking up, when Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott had publicly voiced his support for expanding gambling in the Lone Star State.
Anti-gambling Republican incumbents survived primary challenges funded by Sands-backed political action committees. The results continue a pattern that has frustrated gambling proponents through multiple legislative sessions.
Incumbents Hold Off Well-Funded Challengers
Four Republican state representatives who oppose gambling expansion defeated primary challengers this cycle: David Lowe, Terri Leo-Wilson, Mark Dorazio, and Andy Hopper.
All four received opposition funding from Texas Sands PAC and Texas Defense PAC, two super PACs backed by Sands owner Miriam Adelson.
The margins were not close. Kyle Morris, the largest non-incumbent beneficiary of Texas Sands PAC funds at $140,000, lost to Lowe by more than 27 percentage points. Nathan Watkins, who received $110,000 from the PAC in his race against Leo-Wilson, lost by 25 points.
In an open-seat race for House District 94 in Tarrant County, anti-gambling activist Cheryl Bean won the Republican nomination despite opposition from both Sands-affiliated PACs.
The losses follow a November special election in which former Southlake Mayor John Huffman failed to advance to a runoff in a Texas Senate race after receiving $1.2 million from Texas Sands PAC.
A Pattern of Legislative Failure
The primary results reflect a broader legislative trend. Casino and sports gambling proposals have failed to advance in Texas across multiple sessions.
In 2023, a sports betting measure passed the House but stalled in the Senate. Two years later, neither casino nor sports gambling legislation gained traction in the lower chamber despite what analysts described as the heaviest lobbying expenditure in state history on the issue.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who leads the Texas Senate, has been consistent in his opposition. He stated in both the 2023 and 2025 sessions that the Senate would not take up pro-gambling legislation. His primary victory securing the Republican nomination for a fourth four-year term as lieutenant governor signals that position is unlikely to change.
Rice University political science fellow Mark Jones put it plainly. “If the prize is destination resort casinos in Texas, Las Vegas Sands is now further away from it in 2026 than they were in 2023,” he told the Texas Tribune.
Sands Pledges to Continue the Fight
Despite the setbacks, Las Vegas Sands is not signaling retreat. Texas Sands PAC released a statement vowing to continue backing candidates who support legalization. The group framed its long-term strategy as a patient investment in changing the political landscape.
Andy Abboud, Sands’ senior vice president of government relations, emphasized the company’s commitment to a business-friendly Texas environment.
He pointed to the PAC’s record of protecting incumbents who received its support, even if those victories do not directly advance the casino agenda.
Southern Methodist University political science professor Matthew Wilson acknowledged the disconnect.
“They’ve been successful in protecting a lot of incumbents, but that doesn’t move the needle on the issues they care about,” Wilson said. He also noted why Sands continues to invest regardless. “If Texas does at some point open up to casino gambling, there will be an enormous amount of money to be made here in the state.”
Additional Headwinds for the Industry
The policy environment in Texas has grown more complicated beyond just legislative resistance. The Texas Lottery Commission was abolished this year following an $83 million jackpot controversy involving an online courier.
Some conservative lawmakers have also cited recent NBA gambling-related indictments as cause for concern about expanding gambling in the state.
Public polling continues to show majority support among Texans for legalizing casinos and sports betting, though Republican primary voters remain divided. Any legalization measure would require passage of a constitutional amendment, meaning voters would ultimately decide the question. Getting it to a ballot first, however, remains the industry’s unsolved problem.
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