Alabama Sports Betting Package Stalled

In recent weeks, it looked like the Alabama legislature was making a serious move towards getting the appropriate sports betting legislation in place for Alabama residents. In a matter of days this week, the odds of Alabama residents seeing any form of gambling in the next few years went through the roof.

The package was introduced just a couple of months ago. Included in the sports betting legislative package was language that would establish a state lottery and open up the possibility for as many as 9 land-based casinos. This was a package that was designed to take Alabama from a non-gambling state to a state that gives its residents access to the same gambling options as one would get in most other states. It is no small thing to note that Alabama is but one of a few states that don't yet have a state lottery.

As for why the sports betting conversation came to a sudden halt, it might have had something to do with a comment made by Donald Trump Jr. In the legislation that is being discussed, there is language that specifically details where the locations of casinos would be. According to Trump Jr, that would serve as a huge disincentive to major casino developers that would prefer choosing their own locations.

This is what Trump had to specifically say on Twitter about what he knew about the legislation:

“Bad bill. If you’re gonna legalize gambling, actually legalize it, but giving a monopoly to a small group of casino bosses is just a special interest giveaway. This bill would stop the world’s best gaming operators from opening world-class Resorts & Casinos in Alabama!”

It's not clear if the Trumps will pipe in against the legislation as it transpires, but his comments were enough to tip the scales for the time being.

And the Future

Is the current package dead? Not completely, but time is running out. The current legislative session expires on May 17. However, House Speaker Mac McCutcheon, a Republican, indicated that the law as written doesn’t have enough votes to pass. It is going to require a three-fifths majority (63 total votes) simply because it contains a proposed constitutional amendment.

It's worth noting that as the sports betting legislation has been getting kicked around, the Republicans have also floated the idea of a stand-alone lottery bill. It likely won't get traction right now but there seems to be enough interest to revisit this issue in the very near future.

It's a hard read to determine where the state is going with sports betting in the future. At issue might be the fact the state doesn't have an established connection with the gambling industry. That is a major issue if legislators want to focus on giving Alabama residents access to a whole gambling package all at once.

If Trump's comment has stopped all current momentum, it might be a couple of years before the sports betting fires heat up again.