Alabama sports betting remains a distant hope, as politicians still cannot reach a consensus on potential gambling legislation.
Alabama is one of five states without a lottery, and while recent legislative efforts have come close to passing, they have ultimately failed. While an Alabama Lottery is often at the root of legislation, AL sports betting has also been considered in recent years.
As the 2025 session starts next week, 1819 News this week highlighted the factions at the heart of the gambling debate. That includes the Petroleum & Convenience Marketers of Alabama and the Sports Betting Alliance, which support different gambling expansion options, and the Alabama Policy Institute, which opposes the various options.
Looking for Alabama sports betting
1819 News reports that the Sports Betting Alliance is running social media ads supporting legalizing Alabama sports betting.
“Legalizing online sports betting would protect people against predatory, offshore betting sites and generate tens of millions in new tax revenue. Legal online sports betting would generate between $65 and $90 million in NEW annual tax revenue for Alabama,” the Sports Betting Alliance said.
Meanwhile, the PCMA is running pro-lottery ads in Alabama. The ads ask Alabamians to contact legislators to “support your right to vote on a State Lottery.”
Opposition group in Alabama
The API launched a new website this week, BettingHurtsBama.com.
The API’s website links research, data and reports about the effect gambling would have if it were to expand in the state.
“Legalizing casino-style gambling in the state and establishing a statewide lottery is bad public policy, both fiscally and socially, and it is the wrong solution to address the state’s unsustainable fiscal trajectory,” the site reads.
Alabama sports betting landscape
In December, House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels said he expects gambling to emerge again this year. Daniels, however, said it will need to be a Senate-led effort.
That is because last year, the Senate decided not to act on a conference committee bill that would have created an Alabama Lottery and casinos. The bill started in the House and was based on a Senate bill that had passed in previous sessions.
While the original 2024 House bill included online sports betting, the conference committee removed it from the legislation.
Could Senate talk gambling quickly?
Earlier this month, incoming Senate President Pro-Tem Garlan Gudger told a local radio station that a gambling bill would likely be considered early in the session.
Gudger recognizes the public majority wants a state lottery. He also noted the state is losing money as the illegal gambling market grows without a regulated industry.
“I’m going to be polling my colleagues in the Senate to make sure that they want to tackle this situation and this issue,” Gudger told Talk 99.5. “And if they do, then we’re going to make sure that we have the votes before we take it to the floor. I don’t want any of my colleagues to take a bad vote when it gets there just because there’s not enough votes.
“But if they do want to tackle this and get it behind them for once and for all, then I’m going to allow them to do that. If they don’t, then as the leader I would not allow them to do that. So I think it’s very crucial that if we’re going to do it, we’ve got to do it early though.”
Alabama attempts grow
In a recent report from GeoComply, Alabama saw a 160% year-over-year increase in active sports betting accounts.
The geolocation company tracked Alabamian attempts to access legal sportsbooks during the 2024 NFL betting season.
The 171,520 Alabama users pointed 2.9 million times.