Alabama Gambling Expansion Bill Lacking Senate Support
Alabama Gambling Expansion Bill: In Flux Despite House Approval
Alabama lawmakers have hit a snag trying to pass a proposal to legalize sports gambling in the Heart of Dixie.
Legislation that would allow voters to decide whether to allow a lottery, retail casinos, and legal sports betting to the state doesn’t have enough Senate support to move forward at this point, lawmakers said this week.
And so, the two-billed package, which cleared the House vote earlier in February, now sits in limbo as proponents determine ways to drum up more support. Here’s all we know about the Alabama gambling expansion bill.
What’s at Play?
The Alabama gambling expansion bill would pave the way for seven new casinos, including one owned by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, which already has three brick-and-mortar establishments within the state. It would also open the door to a state lottery, as Alabama is currently one of only five U.S. states without one.
While Sen. Greg Albritton has expressed optimism about the plan getting majority approval in the Senate, there’s still work to do.
“There is a lot of interest in trying to find a path (to passage),” Albritton told the Alabama Daily News on Sunday. “The concern is, what can we put together that is palatable and passable and also passable in the House and acceptable by the governor? And that’s going to be for my friends to figure out because I’ve already got the solution in hand.”
The bill would represent a significant step for Alabama, which currently only allows gambling on tribal lands. Under the proposal, sports venues that attract 60,000 people or more, such as Talladega Superspeedway, would be authorized a three-day license to host sports betting during events.
Twenty-nine U.S. states, plus Washington, D.C., already offer online gambling sports, including fellow Southern States Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, and Tennessee. North Carolina will launch on March 11, ahead of the NCAA Tournament.
Weighing Pros and Cons
Opponents of the bill have expressed concerns about the rise of gambling addictions and its effects on families. There are also worries about safeguarding against illegal activity.
“There’s some language in (the bill) that could possibly allow those that have been operating illegally for years to continue,” Rep. Allen Treadaway, a former assistant chief of the Birmingham Police Department, said via al.com. “I want to make sure that we assure that’s not the case. So, I’m working with the sponsor of the bill to make sure that that happens.”
At the same time, backers see an opportunity for a massive cash influx. The Legislative Services Agency estimates the state could receive up to $900 million from lottery, casino, and sports gambling sites. Revenue from lottery proceeds would be put toward education costs, while revenue from sports betting and casinos would benefit a general fund for non-education expenses such as mental health, health care, and road/bridge repairs.
Many lawmakers see the appeal.
“We have so many of our constituents that travel to the state lines, outside the state for lottery tickets, to go gaming,” Rep. Rolanda Hollis said via al.com. “And people are going to do what they’re going to do. And when they do this, it puts so much money into the other states. We’re putting kids in other states in school. We’re doing their infrastructure, so on, so on.”
Alabama residents have not had the opportunity to vote on a lottery since it was rejected in 1999.
Stay tuned for more updates on the Alabama gambling expansion bill.
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