Alabama Gaming Conference Commission meets to seek solutions
An Alabama select committee composed of three state senators and three House members met in Montgomery this week to try to resolve differences between the two chambers over how to expand gambling in the Cotton State.
Sens. Greg Albritton (R-Atmore), Garland Goodger (R-Cullman) and Bobby Singleton (D-Greensboro) are fighting with Rep. Reese Blackshear (R-Phoenix), Andy Whitt (R-Madison) and Sam Jones (R-Madison) negotiated. D-Move). The conference committee's goal is to find middle ground between the House and Senate's polarizing gambling measures.
In February, the House passed legislation that would allow voters to decide whether to expand gambling in the state. The House measure seeks to allow up to six commercial casinos and four tribal casinos and allow Las Vegas-style slot machines, live dealer table games and sports betting at those venues.
House regulations also include authorizing state lotteries to participate in interstate games such as Mega Millions and Powerball.
The Senate rejected the gambling package and voted to cut the bill. The Senate-approved version would allow just three tribal casinos to have slot machines and gaming tables, but not sports betting. The Senate wants to allow historic horse racing (HHR) machines instead of commercial casinos to be used at four pari-mutuel racetracks in the state that once hosted greyhound racing.
The Senate has also proposed holding a special election for Alabama residents in September to consider a gambling referendum, which would still involve a lottery format rather than a ballot initiative during the 2024 general election.
Solution Outlook
Gambling in Alabama remains severely restricted. The state currently has no commercial casinos, Class III tribal casinos, sports betting, lottery gaming, racetracks or iGaming. The only forms of gambling currently allowed are charity games such as poker, pari-mutuel betting and Class II electronic bingo at the Poarch Band of Creek Indians' Wind Creek Casinos in Atmore, Montgomery and Wetupka.
A constitutional referendum initiated by the Legislature would require a three-fifths majority in both chambers to attract voters. That means 21 votes in the Senate and 63 in the House.
Albritton stressed that compromise could cause some lawmakers to withdraw support if content they want is removed from the final product. The longtime gaming advocate likened the process to a game of "Whac-a-Mole" and said the committee has the difficult task of finding common ground to maintain the required 60% support threshold.
It's very poor. We've never been closer, but we've also never been further away in terms of the number of votes needed. It's a challenge," Albritton told 1819 News of the differences between the two chambers.
Many state senators expressed concerns about the commercial gambling content included in the House version.
"I've never been a strong supporter of gambling," said Sen. David Sessions (R-Grand Bay). “I don’t want to see a massive, sweeping expansion, but we’ll see what the conference committee recommends.”
Governor’s continued support
Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) continues to support approving new forms of gambling to ensure consumer protection while creating new tax revenue sources for the state.
[The governor] wants the House and Senate to get this done,” an Ivey spokesman said.
State fiscal projections estimate Alabama will lose about $500 million in annual tax revenue by continuing its lottery and casino ban.
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Source: www.casino.org
