Las Vegas Sands seems undeterred by recent electoral setbacks in Texas and is moving forward with efforts to legalize gambling in the Lone Star State. That recently came in the form of a $100,000 donation to the Texas Coalition on Problem Gambling (TCPG).
The donation came in April, according to the Texas Tribune. The money will increase the number of therapists to treat those with gambling issues.
Texas is only one of seven states that doesn’t provide funding for treating problem gamblers. That wasn’t always the case. When lawmakers legalized a state lottery in 1991, they earmarked $2 million to create a “compulsive gambling problem” program. However, funding for the program has dwindled through the years and now goes unfunded.
The Sands donation is meant to help the TCPG address some of those concerns. Additionally, the donation gives the company a public relations bullet point as it continues lobbying for legalized casinos in the state.
“For all those years, thousands and thousands and thousands of Texans have been suffering,” TCPG chairwoman Carol Ann Maner told the Tribune.
Donation Will Help Fund Hotline
Along with adding therapists, the funds will be used by the TCPG to start a hotline for Texas gamblers experiencing addiction problems.
The effort comes after recent studies have shown online gaming and sports betting have had a major impact on college students as well as other segments of the population in recent years.
“Our kids and our young adults are in a really tough place right now because they just can’t get away from it. It’s nonstop,” Linda Uphoff, a licensed counselor associate who operates a Dallas treatment clinic for minors and young adults, told the Tribune.
“It’s the sports ads. It is just everywhere. Like I said, it just pops up on your phone without you asking.”
Despite Setbacks, Sands Undeterred
For Sands, the donation shows some good will to legislators while also offering a look at the potential pitfalls of having an unregulated, mostly illegal gambling industry. The donation also highlights that there are no publicly-funded treatment options available in Texas.
Since purchasing the Dallas Mavericks in 2024, Sands has sought to build a casino in the state. Commercial casinos are illegal in Texas, and efforts over the last few years to let voters decide the issue have come up short in the Legislature.
The company helped fund a slate of candidates who might be more open to legalization in this year’s primaries. Most of those candidates lost, and a Sands-backed Republican candidate for the state Senate lost last November.
Even with the election losses, Sands remains undeterred. The company has vowed to continue backing candidates who would support gaming interests in the coming years.
“Our mission remains unchanged: Trust Texas voters,” Sands Senior Vice President of Government Relations Andy Abboud said after the primary results.
“We have and will continue to support candidates who are committed to a business-friendly environment that keeps the Texas economy strong, competitive, and growing.”
