During the same week Alabama sports betting legislation appeared to start gaining its annual steam, Senate leadership quickly deemed it dead.
Senate President Pro Tempore Garland Gudger said Thursday that Alabama gambling legislation is dead in 2025. Along with Alabama sports betting, that includes casinos and a lottery, as it is one of five states without one.
“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 in the statement, per the Alabama Reflector.
According to industry sources, a big sticking point is how the tax revenue from gambling would be spent within the state.
Alabama Sports Betting Needs Votes
In 2024, a House proposal that resembled a bill passed previously by the Senate failed to move in the upper chamber. This year, House leadership said the issue would need to start in the Senate.
The lead Senate proponent, Sen. Greg Albritton, has worked to garner the votes this session. Last week, he said he would possibly introduce a proposal to increase discussion and garner the needed votes, but this week he confirmed he would not drop a bill this year.
Gudger said the issue will require “long-term and intense negotiations among members.” Gambling legislation needs 21 votes in the Senate, and leadership only believes it has approximately 19.
Some senators, like Sen. Jack Williams, voted to pass the Senate legislation in 2021 but voted against the similar House proposal in 2024.
Shopped Deal In Alabama
Albritton had a proposal ready. It was a “trimmed down” version of the House bill last year. The proposal included:
- Lottery
- Online sports betting
- Electronic bingo at six existing racetracks
- Negotiations with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians
- 24% tax on gambling revenue
It includes a constitutional amendment, which voters would need to approve. Gov. Kay Ivey has advocated for residents to get a say on the issue.
House Reception
House legislators were critical of how the Senate handled the bill last year. This year, they put the ball in the Senate’s court to start the discussions, including Rep. Chris Blackshear, who led the effort last year.
“If the Senate is able to pass a comprehensive gaming packaging this session, the House stands ready to receive it, review it, and develop a gameplay and move it forward,” Blackshear said, per the Alabama Reflector.
