In a state that has become a hotbed for the gaming legalization debate, citizens in Alabama are still waiting for some clarity on when their parlays will be cashed legally. Per a recent article from AL.com, Senator Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, a long-time gaming advocate in the Cotton State said he plans to propose more pro-gaming legislation this year. In the past, the state senator has sponsored bills for lottery, casinos, sports betting, and also a gaming regulatory board for Alabama. In a recent quote, the senator said that “we’ve got to recognize that this industry is present. It is here, it is among us, and we as a state have got to control it.”
For this article, SBS will be going over the latest gaming news coming out of Alabama and also some more thoughts about gaming in the state.
As many readers of this space area are already aware, a lottery, casinos, and state regulation can happen only if legislators pass a constitutional amendment. In the past, more than 180 gambling bills have died in the Legislature since voters rejected Gov. Don Siegelman’s lottery proposal in 1999 per AL.com. With this year’s legislative session starting on March 7th, however, it is not clear if gambling legislation will receive serious consideration according to one article. One of the main reasons this is the case is it is the first year of a new four-year term.
House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter, who was recently elected in January, has come out and said before that he supports the idea of regulating gambling. However, he has also not committed to supporting legislation this year according to AL.com. Moreover, the House Speaker said there are other evolving factors at play. The first point he mentioned is that 31 of the 105 House members are new. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall is also pursuing lawsuits to close electronic bingo halls that operate under county constitution amendments. There also has been some push by other Alabama officials that have shut down some bingo halls in the state.
Per the same article from AL.com, electronic bingo halls have continued to grow across the state, despite raids and arrests by the attorney general’s office. The AG’s office has said this was necessary because of a lack of local enforcement. In the past, multiple factors have stopped lottery and gambling bills over the years. This includes how they would affect the local bingo establishments and opposition from those flatly opposed to expanding gambling. One organization, ALCAP, which lobbies on behalf of churches, has been a consistent opponent of lottery bills. They argue that a lottery would hurt poor people who buy a huge share of lottery tickets.
In the past, a gambling study group appointed by former Governor Kay Ivey issued a report in December 2020 that said a lottery, casinos, sports betting, and the like could generate $510 million to $710 million a year in state revenue. After this report, Ivey supported a three-bill package during the 2021 session that called for a lottery, multiple casinos, sports betting, and a regulatory board per AL.com. This bill passed the Senate in Alabama but died without coming up for a vote in the House.
After you are all done getting caught up to speed with the latest news coming out of the Cotton State, SBS has you covered with all kinds of great additional info. For instance, this includes our page on wagering in the state which is the SBS sports betting in Alabama guide. In addition to that great overview of gaming news from Alabama, another must-read is our best bonus betting sites breakdown. This page contains an awesome catalog of the latest welcome bonus promotions. Finally, on a separate note, the SBS VIP sports betting sites rundown is here if you are interested in some higher-stakes gaming.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football in the Mountain West Conference, and basketball. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones.
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