Gaming donors back Lombardo in Nevada governor race as Ford draws union support
Gaming companies fund PACs backing Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo, while unions back Aaron Ford, whose office has fought prediction markets.
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Filed by SpinHerald Newsroom
| Desk | Sports Betting |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | US-NV |
| Parties | Kalshi · Polymarket |
| Sourcing | 1 source: trade media |
| Check status | verified (31 Oct 2026) |
Nevada voters will decide the state’s gubernatorial race on Tuesday, with incumbent Republican Joe Lombardo facing Democratic candidate Aaron Ford, the state attorney general. Gaming-affiliated donors have put millions of dollars into political action committees backing Lombardo.
Campaign funding
Lombardo received $6.1 million in direct contributions from 1 January to 30 September, and his campaign spent $12.4 million in that period, according to the Nevada Secretary of State’s Office. Ford amassed $4.9 million in contributions and spent $5.2 million over the same period.
One committee backing Lombardo, Nevada Way PAC, has received over $10 million in contributions, according to Transparency USA. Its notable contributions include $3 million from Station Casinos and $1 million from Las Vegas Sands.
A Ford-backed PAC, A More Affordable Nevada, has received $11 million in contributions, including $400,000 from Illinois Governor Jay Pritzker, per Transparency USA.
Positions on gaming
Lombardo has been viewed as pro-business, and state gaming regulators have eliminated several outdated or unnecessary regulations at his direction. He has been endorsed by Trump, who appeared alongside him at an August rally in Las Vegas.
Ford has drawn support from Culinary Union Local 226, which endorsed him in September. Ford’s office has led the charge against prediction markets. Sports, entertainment and election-related event contracts are banned from trading in Nevada, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favour of the state in August.
“Nevada has built the gold standard for gaming regulation, and we will not allow companies to circumvent those protections or operate outside the law,” Ford said in a statement following the Ninth Circuit ruling.
Polls and markets
On both Kalshi and Polymarket, Ford has pulled away since the beginning of October. Traditional polls are closer, with MS NOW listing Ford with a slim 45%-44% edge over Lombardo as of Friday.
Sources
- iGaming Business · Industry media · primary source ·
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