Unlike other states with legal online sports betting, residents in Alabama might not see legalized gambling for at least 20 years, after House Bill 490, introduced by Senator Greg Albritton, was shut down by lawmakers in the Yellowhammer State just days after it was introduced to the Alabama State House.
Key Insights
- Senator Greg Albritton introduced House Bill 490, which would create a state lottery and regulator
- Comments by Senate President Pro Tempore claimed that the bill would not receive the votes needed to pass
- Albritton does not see gambling being legalized in Alabama any time soon
If passed, the bill would have created a state lottery and regulator, the Alabama Gaming Commission, a compact agreement with the Poarch Creek Indians, introduced online gambling and six Class II gambling sites, and set a 24% tax rate.
In a statement to AL.com, Albritton disclosed that he sees nothing changing - gambling-wise - for the next two decades and that he was disappointed in the Senate President Pro Tempore's remarks prior in the week after Garlan Gudger said that the bill would not be advancing due to little support.
“We’ve been struggling with this for 25-26 years already... I don’t see anything changing,” Albritton began. “We’ve tried everything we can on this bill over the years. One thing has been proven is that it doesn’t matter what the bills says, period. If the word ‘gaming’ or ‘gambling’ shows up on the page, it’s a ‘no’ vote.”
The day before the bill was killed, Gudger released a statement saying that Albritton’s gambling bill was short on support and time. Likewise, Gudger expressed that he did not believe the legislation would have garnered the 21 out of 34 notes needed to pass.
“With 12 meeting days remaining in the session, both budgets still awaiting approval, and other important bills and measures demanding focus and attention, the comprehensive gaming bill released today is simply too little, too late, and has too few votes to pass,” Gudger said.
Charles Barkley's casino endeavor off the table
Earlier in the week, NBA legend, and Alabama native, Charles Barkley, expressed interest in owning a casino in the Yellowhammer State if the opportunity ever arose.
The Hall of Fame star told AL.com that he would ‘love to be a part of it’ when asked if he would join an African-American investment group interested in owning the majority stake in a casino.
Alabama Senator Bobby Singleton was also a proponent of the state’s gambling bill, advocating for at least one casino with an African-American majority.
“I support gaming in the state 100%. I have been in conversation with the potential sponsor, and one of the things I’ve asked for in the bill for us to fully support it is some African American ownership — not just people working in the place. Because it’s my people who walk through those doors more frequently than anyone else, we should at least have some ownership so that we could also be good corporate citizens in our communities,” Singleton said.
