Update on Alabama Gaming Bill
Published 10:10 am Saturday, March 23, 2024
The Alabama gaming bill has stalled in the Senate. However, there is still a path to passing the bill when the Alabama legislative session returns after Spring break.
The Alabama House of Representatives passed a gaming bill 70-32 through to the Senate with bipartisan support on Feb. 15.
House Bill 151 proposed an amendment to the state constitution, allowing for “five limited forms of gaming activating: An official state lottery administered by a public lottery corporation, casino-style games conducted only in person at up to seven locally approved licensed gaming establishments, limited sports wagering, traditional raffles, and traditional paper bingo. All other forms of gaming in the state would be prohibited.”
There was a partner bill that passed through the house, HB 152. If the gaming bill passed, the governor would establish a state gaming commission and lottery corporation, which would regulate the legal forms of gaming proposed and police those that would remain prohibited.
While both HB 151 and HB 152 were passed by the Senate, both had several amendments added to them. The Senate took out all forms of gaming activity except a lottery, with some limited horse betting allowed at certain casinos, cutting sports betting and casino tabletop and card games out of the original bill. The Senate also made an amendment saying the funds from the state lottery would be split three ways — the education fund, the Department of Transportation and the general fund. In the House bill, funding had exclusively gone to the education fund, similar to the Georgia Lottery.
A provision made in the original bill that has remained states, “The Governor may negotiate and execute a compact…
