Alabama Gambling Expansion Talks Uncertain

An expected Alabama conference committee meeting related to a gambling bill fell through Wednesday. A new timeline for public discussion of the bill has yet to be determined, according to reporting from the Alabama Reflector.

“We will continue to have these discussions and hold a public meeting when both sides are comfortable doing so,” Rep. Chris Blackshear told the publication.

Blackshear said discussions related to gambling expansion have been “productive,” but didn’t share what that meant or what a compromise on the legislation might look like.

Earlier this session, the House passed legislation that would’ve brought a thorough gambling market to Alabama. The legislation would’ve allowed everything from legal online sports betting to commercial casino gaming and the creation of a state lottery. The bills (HB 151 and HB 152) would’ve made 10 casino licenses available, with betting apps being tied to the retail facilities.

Sports betting and commercial casino gaming were stripped from the legislation in the Senate, leaving a conference committee to work out the major differences between the two chambers.

Alabama’s legislative session concludes on May 20, but there are only a handful of meeting days left in the state’s 2024 legislative session. There’s a major time crunch to come to terms on how to best move forward with gambling expansion.