Gambling in Alabama 2024

Unfortunately, it appears as though the Alabama State Legislature will once again be compelled to take up gambling legalization in 2024. This compulsion does not come from a groundswell of grassroots citizens demanding that our state open casinos, normalize sports betting, and/or facilitate the scam of a lottery. This gambling push is a top-down corruption of the political process. High-powered, well-paid lobbyists are descending upon Alabama because we are an untapped market of potential losers. The ones demanding legalized gambling stand to gain from the money that Alabamians will lose and money that will be removed from our state’s economy.

One can almost excuse the gambling industry for their behavior. They are in business to make a profit. Making a profit from an addictive behavior from mostly those who can least afford to lose is predatory and, in my opinion, a sad way to profit––but at least we can understand the greedy motive.

But should our State Senators and State Representatives, whom we elect to look out for our best interest, also count on the people of our state to be losers in order to expand government funding? We keep hearing from Montgomery that our beloved Alabama is doing so well economically. We are enjoying record budgets and surpluses. So why would we do anything to jeopardize that good status? Remember that monies lost to gambling are monies not spent in your local counties and cities. Small businesses in small towns lose, as well as the local tax base.

Some legislators argue that we must legalize gambling to control, regulate, and tax the activity across the state. (Always remember that “regulate” is a code word for legalize.) This regulation argument, in my opinion, is a smokescreen. Yes, illegal gambling does take place. But will legalizing some forms of gambling automatically stop all forms of illegal gambling? Of course not. Gambling operators who currently break the law, and those who allow it to happen, will likely continue to do so. Operators are not going to just line up to pay taxes. The new law will still need to be enforced. To severely decrease illegal gambling operations, we must increase the penalty for doing such. Currently, the penalty for breaking the law is a small risk in comparison to the rewards to be had.

Any changes to Alabama’s gambling laws would have to be approved by a statewide ballot vote to change the state’s constitution. November of 2024 is seen as the perfect ballot considering it is the general election for President and all six congressional districts are on the ballot. The idea is that a big turnout would ensure the passage of a constitutional amendment legalizing some forms of gambling. Keep in mind that state legislators are not on the 2024 ballot; by the time they are on the ballot in 2026, most Alabamians will have forgotten what happened two years earlier.

A common easy way out for legislators is to say, “I am personally against gambling and would vote against it at the ballot––but I will vote for the legislation so that the people can vote.” The problem with this reasoning is that it lacks moral conviction. It is also well-known that the gambling industry would “buy the vote” by spending whatever was needed to misinform the public as to what they are really voting for or against. Mail outs, slick television and radio commercials, and other forms of advertising will only tell one side of the effects of legalized gambling.

Most who read this article understand that the other side of gambling is addiction, loss, brokenness, bankruptcy, divorce, abuse, and corruption. The church and other good non-profits will be left to pick up the pieces while government leaders fund pet projects and gambling insiders take our money and run.

Please do what you can to let your legislators know your feelings on gambling. If they agree with you and promise to be opposed, give them a big thank-you for having moral courage and convictions.

– Greg Davis