Casino Tycoon Donated $25 Million to Trump’s Ballroom

Las Vegas casinos, professional basketball, and the White House rarely have any overlap — and this is one of those times when that rule doesn’t hold true. 

Las Vegas Sands owner Dr. Miriam Adelson was unveiled as the top donor to President Donald Trump’s new ballroom project. This was confirmed by The Washington Post’s report, which revealed 57 contributors who supplied at least $100,000 to the project.

Adelson, a well-known ally of Trump, has notably pushed for gambling-related legislative changes in Texas, where she owns a majority share of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks.

Adelson funds Trump’s White House dreams

Adelson is the world’s richest casino tycoon. Forbes estimated that she has a net worth of over $31 billion.

While it might be life-changing money to some, Adelson donated a ho-hum $25 million to Trump’s ballroom project through the Adelson Family Foundation. Her involvement was first revealed last October, although her contribution size was only just released on Thursday.

The $25 million gift equals those from Apple and Nvidia and Dish Network co-founder and chairman Charles Ergen. Private donors have now supplied roughly $300 million for the 90,000-square-foot, 650-person ballroom, which is expected to open around Sept. 2028.

The Washington Post noted that most donors did not respond to requests for comment. Additionally, those who sent money to the White House said they did not do so in hopes of receiving political favors.

“The same critics who are alleging fake conflicts of interest would also complain if American taxpayers were footing the bill for these long-overdue renovations,” White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said.

Adelson has been one of Trump’s leading donors since 2016, supplying him with more than $600 million since he first entered the world of politics.

Pushing for gambling in Texas

Adelson is well-known in the gambling industry because of Las Vegas Sands. But more recently, she was introduced to a faction of mostly outspoken critics of gambling.

Adelson and her son-in-law, Patrick Dumont, acquired a majority share of the Mavericks in 2023. They have not ingratiated themselves with fans very well, largely due to the team’s decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, and unfounded rumors that the ownership wanted to tank the team’s record and fanbase support to force a relocation to Las Vegas. 

The team’s new owners envisioned building a casino next to a basketball arena to create a super-entertainment complex in an extremely anti-gambling state of Texas. Adelson and Sands affiliates spent about $29 million campaigning and supporting political action committees to push pro-gambling agendas, but no substantial legislative progress was ever achieved.

Dumont announced last week that the team had settled on plans for a new arena in Dallas — one that would not include the table games and slot machines  associated with a casino. He cited limited space at a 100-plus-acre site owned by organizations associated with Adelson as the primary impediment.

The Mavericks’ new facility is expected to open ahead of the 2031-32 season. Adelson’s political ties with the White House remain strong, but it will take more to actualize her goals of legalizing casino gambling in the Lone Star State.