Legislators tired of losing revenue to neighboring states with lotteries
By Kate Northrop
Alabama legislators proposed a bill on Tuesday that would allow Alabama residents to vote on whether they want to have a state lottery.
Another legislative session, another attempt to enact an Alabama state lottery. Supporters of a new bill say the state is actively losing revenue to neighboring jurisdictions, and this proposal would aim to stop that.
State Senator Merika Coleman-Evans helped introduce SB 257, which would repeal and replace a section of the the Alabama state constitution to allow Legislature to enact a state lottery and authorize other forms of gaming.
In doing so, it would require a gaming commission to be established that would license and regulate all forms of gambling in the state, including a lottery, casino-style games in licensed facilities, and both retail and online sports betting. The bill would also allow the governor to negotiate a Tribal compact for casino-style gaming and sports wagering with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians.
What the bill does not do is establish a framework for where lottery revenue would be allocated. For now, legislators are just focused on getting a lottery legalized, likely because another former attempt had gotten caught up in the weeds of indecision and ultimately failed.
In 2024, a similar bill died by just one vote in the Senate after the House and Senate could not agree on what forms of gambling would be most appropriate to legalize.
And although Alabama is one of five states that do not have a state lottery, Governor Kay Ivey has consistently expressed support for expanding gambling, drawing in the revenue flowing out of the state, and regulating the industry to crack down on illegal gambling activity.
"We have some major deficits, and it's going to be worse next year," Coleman-Evans said in an interview with CBS 42. "So, we need to be proactive as a legislature and come up with revenue that is not a tax on the people of Alabama."
However, not everyone agrees that establishing a lottery and gaming industry is going to be the solution Alabama needs to fill the gap.
"There's always going to be a need for funding," Representative Ron Bolton told the media outlet, arguing that a lottery would not ease the budget deficit. "But I don't see this as a guaranteed pipeline. Sometimes it's sold as a way to pay for schools and other things, and I just don't think the numbers back that up."
House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter said in 2024 that lottery proceeds would be projected to exceed $300 million annually.
SB 257 was referred to the Senate Committee on Tourism where it awaits further consideration. If passed, the question of establishing a state lottery would be left in voters' hands at the ballot box.
"People in our state are already doing this [playing the lottery]," Coleman-Evans continued. "And the revenue it generates for Medicaid and public education is money we need here in Alabama."
When in the Army-Ft Knox circa 1994 until retirement '97. We used to go to Gulf Shores, AL and somewhere in that time frame we saw political signs saying vote YES on the lottery.
On the same mindset, look how quickly Mississippi researched and started their own lottery.
Maybe Granny the Governor is stalling things and yet they can't see the forest for the trees. Folks will cross state lines to play the lottery. That's the way it is.
Alabama voted on a lottery in 1999 and the people chose to vote against it. Other bills have been introduced since then but never got to the people. That will probably happen again.
Thanks for updating me to the year that happened.
I agree 100% it won't happen ever there. Utah for obvious reason doesn't even come up and Nevada it is in their Constitution prohibiting it. Can only image why that is....
I could be wrong. I remember when Louisiana was debating a lottery and many legislators voted against it. It kept coming up and some opponents voted to put it on the ballot just so it could be resolved for once and for all.
These same legislators said it would no pass. It passed by a huge majority.
Who knows what will happen?
Don't know if your state has sports gambling ads or not (if legal there). Anyway in regards to Louisiana, if you pay attention it says in small letters on the bottom in certain parishes only. Sounds so 17th century to me.
Here is my thoughts if Alabama activates Lottery people from other states will be playing in Alabama instead of Alabama playing in other states . How do l know this l included travel through Alabama every week find it Boring 😴 lol 😆 And Besides any state that starts with A wins Big in Powerball and Mega millions Look at Arkansas Cabot 😇🧨🛍️🏆
I'm in ALABAMA and we NEED a LOTTERY! Neighboring states all have lotteries and are generating billions in revenue for their states! We need to move forward with this lottery. I run to the Georgia and Florida line once a week and load up on scratchers and multiple draw games! Its ridiculous that ALABAMA is still behind! Let's pass this freaking BILL ALABAMA!
* Know what, you could be right. Imagine all that gas money you could be saving..
We have sports betting and video poker, but there is a local option in which some parishes have it and some don't.
"Neighboring states all have lotteries and are generating billions in revenue for their states! "
You do know that those billions are coming out of the pockets of the state's population and/or visitors to the state, don't you? It amounts to a voluntary tax for a big wish. If you don't believe that please tell us where those billions in revenue are coming from.
Of those billions, how much is paid to winning players? More or less or what part of those billions?
"I run to the Georgia and Florida line once a week and load up on scratchers and multiple draw games!"
How much have you spent vs how much have you won? If you have won more, good for you, but most people will not win more than they spend and will end up giving their state billions of dollars of "voluntary tax" revenue in return for that hope of "the big one".
Personally, I think Lotteries are OK as long as the players *fully realize* what they are really doing and act accordingly. Unfortunately, most people will not know and/or will refuse to find out and will probably supply those billions in revenue out of their own pockets.
Best wishes and much luck to you.
Hooah