Let’s Talk About Lottery and Gambling in Alabama ….Again

Once again, Alabama legislators are talking about gambling.

And once again, the House and Senate appear to be talking past each other.

Legislators are discussing the possibility of addressing the topic, which has defied resolution attempts for decades. No legislation had been filed as of Wednesday afternoon, but a senator said he will file a bill that would take a comprehensive approach to the issue. House members, meanwhile, say they want to enforce existing laws.

“We’ve got to analyze what we need to do to try to prevent this unwarranted expansion of gaming,” said Rep. Joe Lovvorn, R-Auburn, the chair of the House Rules Committee.

Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, who has sponsored bills to establish a lottery and address gambling in the state, said he plans to make another attempt on the issue.

“Have you talked to the House members about this?” he said in an interview on Tuesday. “They’re the folks that should be running the show, I thought.”

Alabama’s 1901 Constitution officially bans lotteries and games of chance, though local amendments have allowed some form of gaming around the state, typically at dog tracks. The Poarch Band of Creek Indians, a federally-recognized tribe, also runs gaming facilities in Atmore, Montgomery and Wetumpka. None of the facilities have slot machines or table games, which are illegal under state law. Most have used some form of electronic bingo.

But Alabama Supreme Court interpretations of local amendments allowing gambling at dog tracks have led to legal battles.

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