Alabama Governor Robert Bentley recently said despite a 0 million budget deficit, he will not consider a gaming compact with Native American tribes that operate casinos in the state, but he would be open to tax hikes. However, 69 percent of Alabamians want the governor to consider gambling before raising taxes, according to a recent News 5/Strategy Poll conducted by phone statewide with 2,500 responses and 2 percent margin of error. In addition, 60 percent of respondents said they would vote for casino-style gambling,
The poll also indicated 72 percent of respondents said they would support a state lottery. But Jon Gray of Strategy Public Relations in Mobile said that figure “is not what I would expect to see on election day. You would have a debate, you would have opposing groups and quite frankly, since 1999 the Indian tribes in Alabama have developed a billion dollar industry of gaming. You can rest assured that they would oppose a lottery in Alabama.”
Alabama voters rejected a state lottery in 1999, due in large part to opposition from Mississippi casinos and the religious right. Only 46 percent voted for the state lottery proposed by then-Governor Don Siegelman.
Despite the poll numbers, a lottery and casino-style gambling are unlikely to receive legislative consideration. State Senator Bill Hightower said, “I’m doubtful either of those would come this session.” Bentley’s spokesperson Jennifer Ardis said the governor would not stand in the way of a lottery referendum if the issue “miraculously” survives in the legislature. Ardis said Bentley opposes any expansion of Indian casinos in the state.
Gray noted, “That 30 percent that says they’re opposed to the governor considering gambling, probably 99 percent of that is Republican voters. If a Republican, like a senator, a house member, especially in rural areas, who might be a progressive, who might be a moderate, would look at something like this, he would almost certainly be unelectable in the next primary.”
