Inside Asian Gaming

inside asian gaming July 2016 10 Cover Story candidacy will have down the ticket,” says UNLV’s Green. Five years ago, determined to deny a second term to Mr Obama whom he deemed insufficiently passionate about Israel, Adelson single-handedly kept Newt Gingrich in the race for the Republican nomination, spending US$15 million on the celebrity conservative’s forlorn bid. He blew another US$30 million on Mitt Romney in the general election. When the dust settled he and his wife, Miriam, had spent an estimated US$92 million. The couple is being considerably more frugal this time around, contributing a little more than US$1.6 million to date – 96% of it to GOP and conservative groups. At US$1.3 million, Las Vegas Sands is the biggest industry spender in the congressional races so far, shelling out more than twice as much as anyone else and all of it to Republicans. Note that none of this includes any so- called “dark money” contributions to advocacy groups which are organized as charities under tax laws and don’t require donors to reveal their identities. Mr Trump hasn’t benefited from Adelson’s largesse as yet, but it’s certain the checkbook will come out once he’s officially anointed the Republican nominee later this month. “Trump was in Las Vegas and has met with Adelson,” notes Klebanow. “I know Adelson supports a Trump presidency. But I haven’t seen anything indicating huge financial support. I haven’t heard anything yet.” Professor Green sees this as an “oddity.” “I don’t pretend to traffic in the Tao of Sheldon Adelson, but Hillary to me sounds more supportive of Israel than Trump. It’s one of her core issues. But I guess Adelson feels he would have more influence in a Trump White House than a Clinton White House.” Of course, whether he will is another matter entirely. “That’s a good question,” says Klebanow. “With any other Republican candidate I would say yes. But with Trump you just don’t know. Is he going to be conservative or liberal? I don’t know and I don’t think anybody knows.” Capitol Hill has been the primary target for gaming industry donations during the current presidential race “Five years ago, determined to deny a second term to Mr Obama whom he deemed insufficiently passionate about Israel, Adelson single-handedly kept Newt Gingrich in the race for the Republican nomination, spending US$15 million on the celebrity conservative’s forlorn bid. He blew another US$30 million on Mitt Romney in the general election. When the dust settled he and his wife, Miriam, had spent an estimated US$92 million.”