Casino magnate Adelson dies

American casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, who built lavish gambling palaces that made him one of the world's richest men and became a potent supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has died at age 87.

Adelson died on Monday night from complications related to treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, according to Las Vegas Sands Corp, which he turned into the world's largest casino company.

A combative self-made man reared in a poor Jewish immigrant family in Boston, Adelson established hotels and casinos in Las Vegas, Macau and Singapore. His wealth made him a formidable figure in U.S. politics, as he took advantage of loosened campaign-finance laws to steer more than half a billion dollars to Republicans and conservative causes, including Trump.

Adelson also was a prominent supporter of Israel and Jewish causes.

With a net worth of US$33.4 billion as of this week, Adelson ranked as the world's 38th richest person on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Adelson and his Israeliborn physician wife Miriam donated more money than anybody else in the 2020 U.S. elections, giving $218 million to Republican candidates and conservative causes, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a watchdog group.

"Sheldon was true to his family, his country, and all those that knew him. The world has lost a great man," Trump said in a prepared statement.

The Adelsons were prolific backers of Trump's 2016 presidential bid and remained supportive during his tumultuous presidency. The casino magnate was in regular contact with Trump after he took office and saw some of his cherished goals come to fruition, including the moving of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem in a break with decades of American policy. Adelson attended the embassy dedication ceremony in May 2018.

"He crafted the course of nations," his widow, Miriam Adelson, said in a statement.