The Alabama 2025 legislative session begins on January 14, and gambling expansion, a hot topic from last year’s session, could be back for discussion. Incoming Senate President Pro Tempore Garlan Gudger recently indicated that if another proposal is brought up for a vote, it must be done early on. In 2024, a compromised gambling package fell short by one vote in the Senate after passing in the House.
Speaking on Talk 99.5’s “Dixon & Vining,” Gudger highlighted strong public support for putting the issue to a statewide vote.
The question on the entities of wanting to push the gambling/lottery vote, I think it’s overwhelming that the public wants to be able to vote on the lottery. Whether they want to vote for it or against it, you can tell that over 75% of the people in the polling that we’ve done shows that they want to be able to vote on it.
Gudger also emphasized key considerations of a future bill, including tax revenue allocation. He also highlighted the importance of measuring senators’ support and said he would ensure the matter is resolved early in the session if there’s enough support.
Last year was the closest Alabama got to putting gambling on the ballot since 1999. That year, Alabamians rejected a lottery proposal. Alabama remains one of five states in the US without a state-run lottery. In 2024, the House passed a comprehensive bill, but the Senate rejected it. The upper legislative chamber then introduced a different proposal, which the House rejected. A bicameral conference committee ultimately negotiated a compromise, which the House passed, but the Senate rejected it by one vote.
Some senators are skeptical of 2025 gambling chances
While many lawmakers believe gambling will be back on the table in 2025, some Senators are skeptical of passing a bill. That includes Sen. Greg Albritton, the original sponsor of the 2024 Senate bill. While sponsoring the bill, he was among those who ultimately voted against it. In November, Albritton talked to a local news outlet and said he thinks gambling conversations will be back in 2025. However, he added that finding a lawmaker to sponsor a comprehensive gambling bill will be difficult.
Sen. Sam Givhan is another lawmaker who believes the chances of passing a gambling bill in 2025 are low. Givhan, who was also among those voting against the gambling bill in 2024, recently said that 2025 could see even less movement on the matter than 2024. He added that there’s not enough support in the Senate, and it’s not even close.
The Alabama Senate consists of 35 Senators. Placing a constitutional amendment on a ballot, such as gambling, requires 60% approval or 21 Senators. In 2024, the final bill received a 20-15 vote.
While no legal options exist, illegal gambling is thriving in Alabama
During the interview, Gudger also stressed the need to address unlawful gambling in the state, one of his biggest priorities:
The number one thing that I really want is to eliminate the illegal gambling that’s going on. And there’s more of that than anything else that’s happening in the state of Alabama right now. So by not addressing it, it’s really still allowing the illegal gambling to get larger and larger in this state.
He’s not alone in calling to curb illegal gambling in the state. Many lawmakers, including Sen. Albritton, House Majority Leader Nathaniel Ledbetter, and Gov. Kay Ivey, are united in the need to eliminate unlawful gambling. Illegal activity, including operations in gas stations and convenience stores, remains widespread.
Rep. Andy Whitt, one of the 2024 House bill sponsors, observed 12 illegal gambling sites during a single-day trip in 2023 as part of a pro-regulation ad hoc committee. Meanwhile, over 35,000 Alabamians attempted to access sports betting apps during the 2024 Super Bowl. Reports estimate they wagered over $2 billion on sports in 2023. Major operators like FanDuel and DraftKings blocked more than two million betting attempts in 2023.
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