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Read Full BioLas Vegas Sands has reaffirmed its ambitions to build a casino resort in Texas, with the company declaring, “The people of Texas want it.”
Andy Abboud, Senior Vice President of Las Vegas Sands, said the company is willing to wait as long as it takes to bring legal casinos to Texas, with plans to develop a luxury casino resort in North Texas.
In an interview with NBC DFW this week, Abboud was asked how long the company could wait and replied, “Forever. We’re not going anywhere. We are committed to this. It’s a great opportunity. The people of Texas want it. We’re here for the long term.”
LVS Spends Millions for Lobbyists
The company is investing heavily in efforts to bring casinos to Texas. In 2021, Las Vegas Sands had more than 100 lobbyists in Austin, paying them between $5 and $10 million.
Abboud said the spending will not stop until the casino becomes a reality. He stated, “This is a bold undertaking. We’re asking to change the Constitution of the State of Texas. So we think we need to be thoughtful about that, and that requires spending a lot of money, resources, and time educating legislators and educating people so they fully understand.”
Over the last two years, the company’s two major political action committees, the Texas Sands PAC and the Texas Defense PAC, have donated more than $15 million to candidates across the state. The two organizations reportedly have more than $16 million in cash set aside for renewed efforts this year.
Casino Drive Faces Strong Opposition
Not all spending has been successful. Earlier this month, the casino group splurged $3 million in backing John Huffman in a three-way North Texas State Senate special election. Huffman finished last in the race.
Despite this, Abboud insists Texans want to be given a vote on legalizing casino gambling. He said, “We’re not asking any member of the legislature to legalize casino gambling. We’re asking them to give the citizens the right to decide if Texas is going to legalize casino gambling, and by overwhelming majorities, they want it if it’s done the right way.”
The group faces stiff opposition, however. Senator Bob Hall is strongly against any expansion of gambling in the state after leading calls for the Texas Lottery to be shut down following the multi-million dollar corruption scandal.
Hall believes regulation of gambling would open up the state to a host of new problems. He stated, “You can’t regulate it. It’s like trying to regulate THC sales. You just cannot regulate it. People get around it. We regulate beer sales to keep it out of the hands of adolescents. How’s that working for us? We regulate cigarette sales. How’s that working for us? You can’t regulate it.”
LVS Backs Progressive Candidates
Las Vegas Sands is hoping more progressive candidates can win key battles to change Texas’s traditionally conservative stance on gambling. It has backed James Talarico, the popular Democrat, to win the party’s senate primary.
Talarico currently leads the polls and has publicly expressed his support of legalizing casinos, citing the jobs and tax revenue it would bring to the state. He has faced criticism for accepting money from Las Vegas Sands, however, as he has also publicly rallied against billionaire campaign donors.
At the same time, Texas Sands PAC has donated more funds to Republicans. Last year, it gave party members a total of $2,646,000, compared to $1,245,500 to Democrats. Whether the spending will pay off in the long run remains to be seen.
Abboud said the company will continue to invest. If it does not get the votes in the 2027 legislative session, they will try again in 2029. The spending is offset by increasing profits in Asia, where all of its casinos are now located. It has also withdrawn its digital operations in the US, with all of its American eggs now in the Texas casino basket.
