Alabama’s Gaming Legislation Stalls in Senate, Pushing Decision to 2025
Alabama lawmakers’ attempts to introduce a comprehensive gaming package, including a state lottery, were halted as the legislative session ended without Senate approval.
Despite strong support in the House, where House Bill 151 and House Bill 152 passed with a 72-29 vote, the Senate did not vote on the amended versions before the session concluded.
Content of the Proposed Legislation
The proposed legislation aimed to establish a state education lottery and introduce electronic games of chance, raffles, and paper bingo at seven designated dog racing or bingo venues across Alabama.
Additionally, it would have allowed residents to participate in national lotteries such as Mega Millions and Powerball. However, the bills maintained a prohibition on tables, cards, dice, and live dealers.
Legislative Process and Setbacks
The legislative effort faced a critical moment in a Senate test session two weeks prior to the end of the session, where it fell just one vote short of the 21 required for approval.
The bills were driven by Rep. Russell Blackshear in the House and sponsored by Sen. Greg Albritton in the Senate. Both lawmakers advocated strongly for the legislation, which aimed to end Alabama’s 25-year deadlock on gaming reform. The state last attempted to pass similar legislation in 1999, which also did not succeed.
With the legislative efforts now stalled, the question of legalizing a state lottery and other gaming forms in Alabama is deferred to at least 2025. This continuation of the stalemate leaves Alabama as one of the few U.S. states without a state lottery, impacting potential educational funding and economic opportunities that could arise from legalized gaming.
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