Alabama has come into the news more and more this year for new measures related to opening up gaming in the Cotton State. Earlier this month, various proposals from new casinos to a new state lottery got the green light from the Alabama Senate committee. In a report from AL.com, the Tourism Committee approved the two-bill plan on 9-1 votes at a public hearing. With the results of the vote, some from the community were mixed in their reaction.
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After the Tourism Committee approved the two-bill plan, the bills are now in line for a vote in the Senate. Per AL.com, the bills are being spearheaded by Senator Greg Albritton and mainly concern the statewide regulation of gambling. The senator says that because the state receives no tax revenue or benefit from the gambling that happens in Alabama, there needs to be state regulation which is why creating an enforcement commission is part of his proposal. In Albritton’s proposal, he says that the only expansion of gambling in his proposal is the lottery, which would help to support educational scholarships.
According to the senator and the same source from AL.com, this particular plan would put a cap on the number of casinos in the state and also provide control over the electronic bingo casinos. The executive director of the Alabama Citizens Action Program, Joe Godfrey, whose organization advocates on behalf of churches and opposes gambling bills, said this plan would expand gambling. If all of this legislation is approved it would not only create an Alabama Education Lottery, but help pave the way for five new casinos, two satellite casinos, and impose a 20% tax on net gambling revenues for casinos and sports betting.
Per WSFA 12 News in Montgomery, Alabama, the two bills making their way through the legislature crossed a big hurdle last Wednesday by getting passed by the Senate committee. While this was a big win for some lawmakers in the state, per the news outlet there were some audible “groans” in the crowd as the bills were voted on. In fact, during a public comment portion pertaining to the bills, there were no supporters present and some vocally frustrated opponents.
Some of these comments raised concerns about the morality of gambling and its overall addictive nature that could follow the approval of a new lottery measure. Meanwhile, Senator Albritton said they will be consistently monitoring the situation and gathering data on what this could mean for the area. However, he maintains that these bills are designed to regulate and ultimately provide new forms of income back to the communities where the casinos sit and across the state as a whole.
With a lot on the horizon regarding gambling in the state of Alabama, the SBS team has provided you with the best online sportsbooks in the state of Alabama. This page gives you a breakdown of the best options for wagering in the Cotton State and which ones could potentially suit your needs. As you are perusing these websites, many customers are also looking for the best sign-on bonuses to bolster their bets and a little more power over their wagers.
With many new additions laws potentially coming into the picture, knowing which payment methods are accepted is a must. Not to worry, at SBS we have you covered with our handy breakdown of payment methods and options that are all above the board and streamlined for ease of use. From Bitcoin and Skrill to Diners Club and Discover Card, you can find ways to wager in all kinds of styles that fit what you are looking to do.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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