The chances of Alabama sports betting passing this year already appear dim.
Sen. Greg Albritton, who has championed Alabama sports betting and gambling expansion in the Senate, told the local political TV show Capitol Journal that he does not have the votes for the issue.
Before the session, Alabama House leadership said the issue would need to start in the Senate after the lower chamber passed a gambling package last year only to see the Senate kill it.
Alabama is one of five states without a state lottery. Previous gambling packages have included lottery, sports betting and casino gambling.
Albritton wants Alabama sports betting
Albritton authored a gambling bill in 2022, which the House largely mirrored in its bill last year. To pass a bill in the Senate, the gambling legislation needs 21 votes. He said he believes he is two to three short and will not introduce a bill unless he has enough votes.
“I would have a bill today dropped if I had 21 votes in the Senate,” he said. “I don’t have 21 votes in the Senate. I’ve got to have 21 votes in the Senate to move this along. And keep in mind now, last week, before Sunday’s Super Bowl, bets were being made in the State House, I’ll say it that way, on the upcoming Super Bowl. Bets were being made. I think Jalen Hurts made a lot of money for people in Alabama in that win.”
“[T]his, in my opinion, Alabama has a moral obligation to take control of this industry and to regulate it, to protect the public,” Albritton added. We have that obligation, and yet we can’t seem to get 21 votes to take this in and to control it.”
Earlier this year, Senate President Pro-Tem Garlan Gudger said the Senate would likely discuss the issue early in the session if there was appetite.
Tribal efforts not helpful
The Poarch Band of Creek Indians recently purchased the Birmingham Racecourse. The horse racing track purchase led some Alabamans to believe tribal lobbying would help sway lawmakers.
In November, the tribe secured the powerful lobbying firm Fine Geddie, which also led to speculation of a tribal push for gambling reform. The PCI opposed the House proposal last year.
Albritton also shot down those ideas on Capitol Journal.
“It doesn’t seem to. I can’t seem to get my 21 votes. And that has been discussed,” he said. “That has been investigated, if you will, as to how that would change. I haven’t seen a change. I’ve got about two or three votes shy in the Senate to get this done.”
