Video gambling recently took a punch in Macon County while garnering favorable results from the Alabama House of Representatives.
Macon County District Attorney Rea Clark issued a letter to 18 video gambling parlors in the county demanding they close. Clark claims their machines are games of chance and illegal. His reasoning follows a Dec. 13, 2002, state appeals court decision that ruled against cash payouts for video gambling machines.
During the same time frame of Clark’s announcement, video gambling moved forward in the Alabama House.
The House tourism and travel committee gave House Bill 280, which would allow for unlimited cash payouts at the state’s four dog tracks, a favorable report March 12. The bill will now go to the full House.
“There were no dissenting votes for the bill,” said Dan Ireland, executive director of Alabama Citizen Action Program, noting votes were not recorded.
According to the Christian Coalition of Alabama, representatives from that group requested a roll call vote, but the request was denied.
“You can’t pin them down that way,” Ireland said. “Maybe some didn’t vote for it, but neither did they vote against it. That is really a silent consent.
“The whole thing is rotten to the core,” Ireland said. “This bill is blatantly unconstitutional.”
Along with allowing unlimited cash payouts, the bill states the machines are games of skill and not chance. It also says dog track owners can tie their machines in with other machines within the state or out of state. This allows for increased winnings and “an excitement of getting people to bet more money,” Ireland explained.
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