Alabama Closer Than Ever To Regulated Sports Betting Industry

• Sports betting and gambling in Alabama could be a real possibility if Senate Bill 310 passes in the House of Representatives.
• The proposal has passed in the Senate and will now go to the House for a vote of approval.
• Should Senate Bill 310 pass, sports betting, casino gaming, and a state lottery would be put on the November 2022 ballot for residents to vote on.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Alabama, one of the most conservative states when it comes to gambling, is getting close to passing legislation for sports betting and other forms of gaming this session. Senate Bill 310 passed in the Senate during its third reading on April 13, where it then moved to the House two days later.

On Tuesday, the House Economic Development and Tourism Committee pushed the proposal forward and it is now set to be heard by the House of Representatives.

Senate Bill 310 Details

Senate Bill 310 is asking to put gaming expansion in Alabama on the November 2022 ballot. Any type of change with the gambling industry in the state calls for a constitutional amendment, which requires a public vote. Should AL SB 310 pass in the House, it would go to Governor Kay Ivey’s desk for approval before it would be placed on the 2022 ballot.

However, it is unlikely that the Governor would not allow residents the right to vote on the issue if it were to pass in the Alabama Legislature. The measure, if it received the majority vote by Alabamans, would greenlight a state lottery, sportsbooks, and casino gaming. Mobile sports betting has been discussed as something that could be a part of the package should the proposal pass and then receive the votes by residents.

The reason that this bill is favored to pass within the last few days of the session is because it’s only asking to leave the topic of gaming up to those that live in the state.

Some of the biggest proponents of the bill have argued that sports betting in Alabama, as well as other gambling, goes on without a regulated market in place. So it’s about time that the state not only benefits from one but protects its constituents in doing so.

Casino games and sports wagers would see a tax of 20% that could then be increased by 2% every five years until it reaches the cap of 30%. This would allow for an estimated combined annual revenue that may be upwards of $400 million. There will be nine retail sportsbooks and casino locations that have already been written within the draft to be at in areas with dog tracks or tribal locations statewide.

What’s Coming Up This Week?

Bills that will find approval in the Alabama Legislature should see green lights within the next week. The legislature officially ties up all of its loose ends with the approved bills by the end of the month. Alabama is surrounded by states with regulated sports betting and lawmakers are looking to become a part of the industry.

While there is opposition over Senate Bill 310, there is also plenty of support. However, the decision is now in the hands of the Alabama House of Representatives.

Yet, when it comes right down to it, passing this proposal will not automatically regulate gaming in Alabama, it would simply allow those that reside in the Heart of Dixie to weigh in on what they want to see in their state. That in itself should be an easy pass because it allows them the freedom to choose for themselves.

News tags: Alabama | Alabama House of Representatives | Alabama Legislature | Alabama Senate | House Economic Development and Tourism Committee | Kay Ivey | Senate Bill 310