Alabama House Republicans recently held a 2-hour closed-door meeting that addressed a gambling bill they’re expected to introduce in the upcoming legislative session.
State Rep. Andy Whitt, who has led a group of lawmakers studying gambling in the state for 14 months, said, “This year, we will have a bill.” The comprehensive measure will include a lottery, casinos, sports betting and a regulatory commission, Whitt said.
He noted his bill is intended to crack down on illegal gambling statewide. “As I’ve traveled the state over the last 12 months, it’s simply the wild west, the illegal gambling,” he told AL.com. “And it’s something we need to address. It’s past time. I think when we have 67 counties, 67 sheriffs and DAs interpreting the law differently, there’s no clarity and one uniformed piece of legislation or law that they follow. And enforcements are different as we know across the state,” Whitt said. He added he has visited at least 50 gambling venues across the state that offered illegal slot machines, or electronic bingo.
In 2021, the state Senate passed a comprehensive gambling bill that included a lottery, casinos, sports betting and a compact with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. The bill died in the House despite support from Governor Kay Ivey, who said she will support a new gambling measure.
In a statement, Ivey said, “Changing gambling law means changing our constitution, and that means it has to go to the ballot for the people of Alabama to decide. The last time the legislature proposed a constitutional amendment on gambling to Alabama voters was in 1999, and frankly, I support Alabamians having another opportunity to vote on the issue. I think it has to be comprehensive enough to clearly address all forms of gambling. And most importantly, it must be done right. I will only support legislation if I think is best for our state and our citizens.”
Ivey formed a study group on gambling policy whose report in December 2020 estimated the state would net up to $300 million annually from a lottery, up to $400 million from casinos and $10 million or more from sports betting. The report also said gambling could create up to 19,000 jobs.
Alabama is one of only five states without a lottery. Whitt said his north Alabama district borders Tennessee, which does have a state lottery.
He told AL.com, “In my hometown of Ardmore, we have to sometimes divert school buses when the jackpots get so high because of the traffic from Alabama going into there. So this is something that’s been needed to address. It hasn’t been addressed in over a quarter of a century. That was the last time Alabamians voted on something. And I’m working towards that to try to bring some finality to that. And let’s clean up gaming.”
