A new bill has been put forward in Alabama that wants to make the state’s tough anti-gambling laws a bit easier. This would mean that a state lottery, casinos, and sports betting could all become legal.
Senator Merika Coleman-Evans is the one who brought up this bill, called SB257. It suggests that people in Alabama should get to vote on whether they want a state lottery, places to play casino games in person, and betting on sports both in person and online.
Something like this bill was tried last year, but it didn’t get enough support and was stopped pretty quickly. This new try would set up a group to give out licenses and keep an eye on all the gambling activities in Alabama. Right now, Alabama doesn’t have much gambling, with only daily fantasy sports and bingo at a few tribal casinos being allowed.
The bill also talks about letting the Governor work out a deal with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. This deal would let the tribe offer slot machines, table games, and build full casino resorts.
Alabama Missing Out on Money
Senator Coleman-Evans, who is pushing this bill, thinks that making gambling legal could bring in a lot of money for Alabama. She believes this money could help the state without having to ask its citizens for more taxes.
She told local news that for her, it’s all about the money. She said that taxes from gambling could help pay for medical care and other important services. She added that it’s the job of lawmakers to find ways to provide these services, and this bill is her way of trying to get that money without putting more taxes on the people of Alabama.
Sports Betting Companies Want Legal Betting
The Sports Betting Alliance (SBA) is supporting the idea of making sports betting legal in Alabama. This group represents the biggest sports betting companies in the country, and they all offer betting on esports. They say that people in Alabama are already betting on sports a lot.
Their website has a petition asking people to get in touch with their lawmakers and tell them to put online sports betting up for a vote. The SBA says that if online sports betting becomes legal, it could bring in as much as $90 million in tax money for Alabama every year.
Past Attempts Didn’t Work Out
In 2024, Alabama almost made some types of gambling legal. The House of Representatives approved a similar bill that would have allowed a lottery, sports betting, and both regular and tribal casinos. But the Senate didn’t agree and wanted a bill that only allowed a lottery and tribal casinos.
The House tried to work out a deal and offered a new plan that didn’t include sports betting, but that also failed by just one vote in the Senate. Last year’s efforts didn’t go anywhere, but lawmakers are hoping 2026 will be different. Representative Phillip Ensler, who is running for lieutenant governor, said it’s crazy that Alabama doesn’t even have a state lottery.
Just like Senator Coleman-Evans, he said that the money from legal gambling could help pay for good healthcare and services for the people of Alabama. The bill has been sent to the Senate Committee on Tourism to be looked at. Alabama is one of many states that are trying to expand gambling options in the new legislative session. South Carolina will be the first state to have a meeting about this later this month.
