Silver bullet bill?
An Alabama lawmaker has filed a new no-frills gambling bill to include sports betting, electronic games, and lottery.
“a very trimmed down” new bill
Alabama’s gambling bill only failed by a single vote in the Senate in 2024. After tabling “a very trimmed down” new bill for 2025, its author Sen. Greg Albritton revealed his hopes for progression of the compromise two-part bill with understated confidence.
“It’s the least amount we can do that I think is economically viable.”
The senator had kept his fat-free bill on the down low until publishing it Thursday. He admitted, however, he was still short of votes needed to pass the bill in the 34-member Senate
Albritton’s legislative package includes both a constitutional amendment requiring voter approval in a September 16 ballot, and a highly detailed 141-page bill.
What’s the plan?
Albritton’s tweaked bill allows for legal sports betting, iGaming at Alabama’s ex-greyhound tracks, state lottery, and “a compact that would allow the Poarch Band of Creek Indians to have four casinos.”
Under the bill’s iGaming component, sports betting and digital gambling would be subject to a 24% tax on net revenue “an excise tax on each gambling machine, and a sports wagering tax on each bet.”
a public lottery firm would control Alabama’s state lottery
Digital gambling would be legal at five ex-greyhound tracks in Jefferson, Macon, and Mobile counties and one bingo hall in either Greene, Houston or Lowndes counties. Under the proposed bill, a public lottery firm would control Alabama’s state lottery.
It also proposes Baltimore Governor Wes Moore negotiate a revenue-sharing agreement with the Poarch.
Moore’s nod would authorize Class III gaming, or full-scale casinos with table games at the tribe’s existing three electronic bingo casinos. These are located in Atmore, Montgomery, Wetumpka, and at Birmingham Race Course and casino.
The bill would also establish an Alabama Gaming Commission to license, tax, and regulate gambling complete with a law enforcement arm.
The whys
Giving his reasons for the new bill, the Alabama lawmaker said gambling was “rampant in Alabama and needs to be regulated” and that state budgets needed the juice amid uncertain economic times.
Albritton stated that people were gambling in the halls of the Alabama Senate prior to Super Bowl LIX and that the sports betting vertical was “occurring in junior highs. It’s eating us up. If we don’t get control of it, we’ll be in serious trouble.” In addition, the senator said the urgency came from “federal money drying up.”
“We have an economy that is questionable right now.”
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