There are no bills related to a lottery, casino gambling or sports betting in this year’s legislative session. But lawmakers say there are informal conversations happening about what could pass in the future, especially in the House, where gambling bills have in the last decade gone to die.
Rep. Andy Whitt, R-Harvest, described an “ad hoc committee” of about nine representatives whose constituents want a state lottery. The conversations don’t include lobbyists or anyone with financial interests in gambling, he said.
“We’re taking our time and we’re not being influenced by associations,” Whitt told Alabama Daily News last week. “Approaches from years past did not bear any fruit. Absent of lobbyists, absent of out-of-state interests, this is a group of legislators who are working hard to try to solve the issue and bring something palatable to the body to vote on and get it on the ballot for people to look at and make their decisions.”
A lottery would require a constitutional amendment approved by voters. In 1999, Alabamians rejected a proposal that was aimed at funding education.
Lawmakers also have concerns about illegal gambling in the state.
“Gambling is happening in Alabama now,” Whitt said. “Some of it’s legal and some of it’s illegal.”
Last month, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office shut down 14 illegal gambling sites with electronic slot machines in Jefferson County.
“As of now, I can’t tell you how many casinos are operating in the state of Alabama — I don’t think anyone can,” Whitt said. “This needs to be regulated and come under a gaming commission or a form of a gaming commission and it needs to be regulated and laws need to be enforced.”
Whitt said the average person doesn’t understand why lawmakers can’t approve a “simple” lottery bill that would let them buy at their local gas station a Powerball or Mega Millions ticket.
The lottery issue has long been tied to other forms of gambling, including that at the Poarch Band of Creek Indians’ three federally approved casinos, and more recently, sports betting. The conventional wisdom in the State House has been that casino and sports betting interests don’t want to be left out of a standalone lottery proposal lest that be the only legislative bite at the apple on gambling.
Meanwhile, how any revenue would be spent by the state, whether on education, scholarships or General Fund expenses, has been a fight.
“It’s just extremely complicated,” Whitt said. “You can’t lose a lot of votes.”
Sen. Greg Albritton last year introduced legislation to authorize a lottery, sports betting, and eight full casinos with slots and table games. While he’s gotten lottery and gaming bills approved previously in the Senate, they’ve died in the House. Last year, he said future bills would have to start in the lower chamber.
Albritton, R-Range, last week said he’s glad to hear conversations are happening in the House, but when it comes to a possible consensus, he’ll “believe it when I see it.”
Meanwhile, he said he thinks what they come up with will probably look a lot like his previous proposals.
When the House might have a bill is still to be determined.
“There’s really no timeline, we’re going to take our time on this,” Whitt said. The group will continue discussions after the current session ends, he said.
The House has more than two dozen new members since the 2022 elections. Learning what they’ll support — and won’t — is part of the conversation too, Whitt said.
Alabama is just one of five states without a state lottery.