Gambling Updates in 2024 Legislative Session

*This article will be continually updated to reflect current events in the Alabama Legislative Session*

5/10/24

Gambling Legalization Attempt Fails on Final Day of Session

*Status: On the final day of the 2024 Legislative Session, there was a push for gambling to come up for a Senate vote up until the very end. The Educational Trust Fund Budget was used in an apparent final attempt to leverage a vote. These attempts failed, and gambling expansion is dead for the 2024 Legislative Session*

On Tuesday (April 30th), the gambling Conference Committee produced two bills (HB151 & HB152). Shortly afterwards, the House easily passed those bills. Later on that same night, the Senate voted and the bills failed by 1 vote (20 “Yes” votes to 15 “No” votes; 21 was needed to pass). The Senate did not vote for a second time and now the Session is over.

5/6/24

A Gambling Vote Falls 1 Short in Senate

*Status: On Tuesday (April 30th), the gambling Conference Committee produced two bills (HB151 & HB152). Shortly afterwards, the House easily passed those bills. Later on that same night, the Senate voted and the bills failed by 1 vote (20 “Yes” votes to 15 “No” votes; 21 was needed to pass). The Senate could vote again on the legislation before the end of the Legislative Session. For more information, listen to ALCAP President Greg Davis here.*

Please contact (or re-contact) your Senators and encourage them to vote NO to legitimizing the gambling industry.

4/30/24

ALCAP President Greg Davis covered the chaotic events in the Senate related to voting on the gambling legislation put forward by the Conference Committee (HB151 & HB152) on his Priority Talk Radio Show. Summarizing the dramatic episode broadly: On Tuesday night (April 30th), the House passed the bills but the Senate did not. However, the Senate may still vote again on the bills at a later date if it so chooses.

4/30/24

Urgent: Gambling Legislation Passes House, Please Contact Your Senator

Alabama House of Representatives easily concurs on HB151 & HB152 gambling legislation, as passed by Conference Committee made up of House and Senate members.

Senate must still concur on these exact bills for issue to go to a statewide vote on August 20th.

*We implore you to contact your Senator immediately and urge them to vote “No” on HB151 & HB152. Find your Senator here*

4/22/24

Gambling Conference Committee Members Selected

The Alabama House of Representatives (Whitt, Blackshear, Jones) and Senate (Gudger, Albritton, Singleton) have selected their three members for the upcoming gambling Conference Committee. If a gambling bill is created by the committee, there could be a vote by both the House and the Senate this week.

Please contact (or re-contact) your two legislators and encourage them to vote NO to legitimizing the gambling industry. Legitimacy is given by legalizing Class III Vegas-style casinos, online sports betting, and a lottery in Alabama. Any combination of these activities would open the door to more corruption and addiction brought on by this state-sanctioned and promoted predatory activity.

4/15/22

House Non-Concurs with Senate Changes to Gambling, Likely Heads to Conference Committee

The House of Representatives has selected its three members for the potential upcoming Conference Committee (Whitt, Blackshear, Jones). We are still waiting on the Senate’s three appointments. That selection may happen this week, which would likely mean a vote by both the House and the Senate by this Thursday.

4/8/24

Last Thursday, the Alabama House of Representatives voted to non-concur with the large changes the Senate made to the initial gambling bills that the House had passed. Now, three members of the House may eventually join with three members of the Senate for a conference committee on the issue. Depending on what happens in the conference, there may be a bill that comes out of it and both the House/Senate would then vote on it (must pass with 3/5 majority), or the issue of gambling may die in committee. Listen to ALCAP President and Priority Talk Radio Host Greg Davis discuss the issue here.

3/12/24

Altered Gambling Bills Pass Senate, Head Back to House

*Alabama Senate Republicans split their vote to expand the size of government, bringing Class III Vegas-Style Gambling and a Lottery to Alabama – while grandfathering in current illegal operators (plus a few others for good measure) in multiple locations around the state.

15 Republicans joined with all 7 voting Democrats for 22 “Yes” votes––21 needed––to pass the bill.

Thank you to the 12 Senators who voted NO or abstained on both bills.

The bills will now return to the House of Representatives for potential concurrence. To hear ALCAP President Greg Davis’ instant reaction to the vote (he was at the State House in Montgomery as it happened), listen here.

Please reach out to your State Representatives and ask them to vote “No” on this newer legislation that still expands gambling across Alabama. To find out who your legislators are, click here.

Pictured below are the Senators and their votes.*

3/4/24

Gambling Bills Pass in House, Now Move to Senate

Greg Davis spoke before the Senate Tourism Committee on behalf of Alabama churches who understand the dangers associated with gambling. “What you legalize is what you normalize” was Davis’ message. “Be very careful what you legalize,” he said. There was no vote at this meeting. We anticipate another Tourism Committee meeting this week where a vote will likely be taken. Before the Senate can vote on these bills, they must pass committee.

2/26/24

Gambling Bills Pass in House, Now Move to Senate

Bills HB151 and HB152 were introduced and passed in the Alabama House of Representatives (HB151 = 70 “Yes” votes to 32 “No” votes; HB152 = 67 “Yes” votes to 31 “No” votes with 1 abstaining) on Thursday, Feb. 15th. Now, the bills move to the Senate where they could reach the floor quickly for a vote. If these bills pass in the Senate, the issue of expanding gambling in Alabama would be on the ballot in November.

Please reach out to your State Senators this week and make your voice heard. To find out who your Senators are, visit ALCAP.com and click on “Find Your Legislator.”

The following is a list of State Reps. who had the moral conviction to vote “No” on both gambling bills. Please let them know you appreciate their vote:

• Russell Bedsole – [email protected] – 334-261-0491

• Jim Carns – [email protected] – 334-261-0429

• Brock Colvin – [email protected]

• Susan DuBose – [email protected] – 205-612-2433

• Tracy Estes – [email protected] – 334-261-0434

• David Faulkner – [email protected] – 205-250-6604

• Jennifer Fidler – [email protected] – 251-620-9384

• Danny Garrett – [email protected] – 205-410-4637

• Mark Gidley – [email protected] – 334-261-0432

• Matthew Hammett – [email protected] – 334-469-3649

• Ben Harrison – [email protected] – 256-614-9087

• Leigh Hulsey – [email protected] – 334-261-0474

• Reed Ingram – [email protected] – 256-548-3589

• Jamie Kiel – [email protected] – 334-261-0521

• Bill Lamb – [email protected] – 205-361-5262

• Arnold Mooney – [email protected] – 205-620-6610

• Kenneth Paschal – [email protected] – 205-626-9458

• Ben Robbins – [email protected] – 205-907-5091

• Mike Shaw – [email protected] – 205-541-6542

• Randall Shedd – [email protected] – 334-261-0530

• Ivan Smith – [email protected] – 334-261-0459

• Scott Stadthagen – [email protected] – 205-543-0647

• David Standridge – [email protected] – 334-261-0446

• Jerry Starnes – [email protected] – 334-549-0782

• Shane Stringer – [email protected] – 251-208-5480

• Troy Stubbs – [email protected] – 334-451-4589

• Allen Treadaway – [email protected] – 205-384-4357

• Randy Wood – [email protected] – 256-239-9190

• Matt Woods – [email protected] – 205-275-1084

• Ernie Yarbrough – [email protected] – 334-261-0454

HB151 would amend the Alabama State Constitution to allow for gambling, and HB152 is the actual gambling legislation itself.

Sponsored by State Representatives Chris Blackshear (Phenix City) and Andy Witt (Harvest), these bills would allow for the creation of a paper lottery, up to 10 Class III casinos all across Alabama (including the 3 Poarch Band of Creek Indian casinos that already exist due to federal law), an Alabama Gaming Commission (AGC) with its own law enforcement arm (with arresting power), and more. ALCAP President Greg Davis discusses the bills in great detail here.

For more general information on gambling, visit ALCAP.com and look under “gambling.” Please reach out to your State Senators and let them know that you do not support the legalization of gambling in Alabama.

2/12/24

The Pressing Issue of the Legislative Session: Gambling

After months of general speculation––and much secrecy––leading up to the Session, pro-gambling advocates have filed two bills in the Alabama House of Representatives (HB151 and HB152) in the first week of the Legislative Session. HB151 would amend the Alabama State Constitution to allow for gambling, and HB152 is the actual gambling legislation itself.

Sponsored by State Representatives Chris Blackshear (Phenix City) and Andy Witt (Harvest), these bills would allow for the creation of a paper lottery, 10 casinos all across Alabama (including the 3 Poarch Band of Creek Indian casinos that already exist due to federal law), an Alabama Gaming Commission (AGC) with its own law enforcement arm (with arresting power), and more. Greg Davis discusses the bills in great detail here.

To read Greg Davis’ thoughts on gambling in Alabama, click here. For more general information on gambling, visit ALCAP.com and look under “gambling.” Please reach out to your elected officials and let them know that you do not want gambling to be expanded in Alabama. To find out who your legislators are, visit ALCAP.com and click on “Find Your Legislator.”