With just one day left in Alabama’s 2021 legislative session, the fate of gambling expansion remains uncertain.
On May 6, the Alabama House failed to pass Senate Bill 319, a comprehensive bill that would create a state lottery, add new state-regulated casinos and legalize online betting in the state.
The measure passed the Senate on April 13 in a 23-9 vote, but legislators in the House could not muster enough support and thus did not bring it to a vote.
House Speaker Mac McCutcheon said he believes the outlook for the bill is “doubtful” with only one day — May 17 — remaining in the 2021 session.
Joe Godfrey, executive director of Alabama Citizens Action Program, cautioned against complacency and urged action.
“We thought gambling was ‘dead’ earlier in the session only to see it ‘rise from the ashes,’” Godfrey said.
He encouraged people to contact their legislators and Gov. Kay Ivey to express their opposition to expanded legalized gambling in Alabama.
To find contact information for the state legislators representing your district, go to tabonline.org/contact.
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