Some House lawmakers aren’t happy with changes the Senate added to the bill
Gambling legislation proposing a state lottery and possibly allowing casinos and other gambling devices faces uncertainty in the Alabama Statehouse because of disagreements among lawmakers over sports betting and the number of casinos proposed.
State legislators will be on spring break next week and are trying to find a compromise between a comprehensive House-passed plan that includes sports betting and multiple casinos with table games and a scaled-back version approved by the Alabama Senate.
Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Reed said the House needs time to review the Senate changes and will evaluate their position when lawmakers return from break. “As you all are aware, we minimized the casino opportunity, eliminated the sports betting, which were topics that were non-starters in the Senate body,” said Reed.
The House approved a proposed constitutional amendment to allow a state lottery, in-person and online sports betting, and up to ten casinos with table games and slot machines. The Senate’s plan significantly reduced the number of potential casinos while also eliminating sports betting.
“The House sent us up a comprehensive package that covered a great deal. The Senate sent to them a much-reduced package and with very specific instructions on potential changes. That appears to have a chilling effect on advancement,” declared Senator Greg Albritton, who handled the Senate version of the bill.
“We still have the time, and we have the need,” he said. “The flexibility may be the determining factor whether we accomplish something this year,” he added.
Lawmakers will return from spring break on April 2. Any gambling bill must be approved by three-fifths of lawmakers, as well as a majority of voters in a ballot referendum to amend the Alabama Constitution.
Emma Rodriguez is the Proofreader at the Big Blind, with seven years of experience and five years in online gambling. She plays a crucial role in maintaining content quality by ensuring error-free, reader-friendly information about the gambling industry.
