Alabama House Rejects Senate Changes To Gambling Legislation

Article by : Erik Gibbs Apr 8, 2024

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Alabama lawmakers are grappling with legislation to legalize various forms of gambling, including a lottery, as they navigate differences over sports betting and the number of casino locations.

On Thursday, the Alabama House of Representatives voted to dismiss Senate alterations to the gambling bill and opted for a conference committee to hash out a consensus.

The challenge lies in reconciling a comprehensive plan endorsed by the House, featuring sports betting and up to 10 casinos offering table games, with a more restricted version passed by the Senate, which omits sports betting and permits fewer casinos.

Representative Chris Blackshear, the House proponent of the legislation, expressed his belief that the Senate’s narrower version of the bill could potentially forego hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.

Blackshear remains optimistic about reaching a consensus but acknowledges the substantial disparity between the two chambers’ proposals. He also emphasized the importance of identifying a middle ground, stressing the significant disparity between the two proposals.

Blackshear highlighted that the current versions are far from alignment and suggested that the first step is to clearly define what constitutes this middle ground before delving into discussions.

House members had greenlit a proposed constitutional amendment permitting a state lottery, both in-person and online sports betting, and the establishment of up to 10 casino sites offering table games and slot machines.

Conversely, the Senate’s iteration axed sports betting and trimmed down the count of potential casino locations.

Under the Senate’s proposal, a state lottery would be allowed, along with electronic betting machines at dog tracks and various other venues. Additionally, it mandates the governor negotiate a compact with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Such an agreement could allow the tribe to operate full-scale casinos, complete with table games, across its three sites within the state.

Before any gambling proposal can become law, it must secure the approval of three-fifths of lawmakers and a majority of voters. Notably, Alabamians have not participated in a gambling-related vote since they rejected a proposed lottery back in 1999.

Expressing optimism, House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter conveyed in a statement his hope that lawmakers would reach a compromise. He pointed out the widespread desire among the people of Alabama for an opportunity to have their say on this matter.