Sheldon Gary Adelson born August 4, 1933 is an American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. He is the chairman and chief executive officer of the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, the parent company of Venetian Macao Limited which operates The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino and the Sands Expo and Convention Center. He also owns the Israeli daily newspaper Israel HaYom. Adelson, a lifelong donor and philanthropist to a variety of causes, founded with his wife's initiative the Adelson Foundation.

As of March 2014, Adelson was listed by Bloomberg Billionaires Index as having a fortune of $40.8 billion.Forbes places him as the 8th richest person in the world, while Bloomberg lists him as the 9th richest person in the world.

Adelson is also a major contributor to Republican Party candidates, which has resulted in his gaining significant influence within the party.