Alabama State Sen. Greg Albritton has a new draft bill he may file as soon as this week.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – State Sen. Greg Albritton, the Alabama Senate’s point man on lottery and gambling legislation for several years, has a new draft bill he may file as soon as this week.

But how many of his Senate colleagues want to follow him into another State House gambling battle in the last half of their legislative session is still to be determined.

“I’m looking for a few more votes,” Albritton, R-Range, told Alabama Daily News on Friday about the status of his legislation. He said he may file it to generate more conversations.

Albritton shared details of the proposal that would be put before voters in a September special election on legalizing lottery ticket sales, as well as Class II electronic gambling at six existing racetracks around the state. There’s legalized sports betting and a to-be-negotiated compact between the state and the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. There’s a 24% tax on gambling revenue, a new state commission to oversee operations and a new law enforcement division dedicated to cracking down on illegal operations. It also repeals previous county-level constitutional amendments that have led to a patchwork of gambling laws and myriad enforcement actions across the state.

A lottery in Alabama requires a constitutional amendment, and that requires 21 yes votes among the current 34 senators. 

While gambling legislation is a near perennial feature of a legislative session in Alabama, Albritton said “fear of political blowback” has slowed the discussion this year. Albritton has been drafting this latest gambling bill since early in the session and said he shared drafts with many of his colleagues.

“I’ve given them every opportunity and they haven’t taken it,” he said.

“… I understand that next year is an election year, everybody’s gearing up for that and fundraising starts in May,” Albritton said about House and Senate elections in 2026. “That’s a problem, but it’s not going to get any easier next year.” 

And every year lawmakers wait, illegal gambling operations in the state go unchecked and the state loses more potential revenue, Albritton argues.

He said discussions about his bill have involved Senate leadership and Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth, who oversees the Senate.

Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman, told ADN hadn’t yet seen Albritton’s latest proposal. 

“My colleagues in the Senate have got a lot of issues that they want to get passed and are focused on,”Gudger told ADN on Thursday. “We’re at the second half of this session and we haven’t seen a bill yet, so there’s not any details for us to filter through to see how it affects my colleagues’ districts. Until that is talked about and people in the Senate understand what’s in that particular bill that he sounds like he has been working  on— because I have not even seen it myself — I’m focusing on the issues that my colleagues bring to me and as of right now, I’m not focused on that.”

Inside Alabama Politics reported earlier this month that Ainsworth wanted some of the possible gambling revenue dedicated to road projects. A likely gubernatorial candidate in 2026, Ainsworth has made the widening of Interstate 65 through the state a major priority.  

Albritton’s proposal puts $100 million, $50 million from lottery revenue and $50 million from other gambling revenue, toward roads and bridges. That was “completely and totally” at Ainsworth’s request and an effort to get his support, Albritton said.

Ainsworth, who was traveling in Washington late last week, could not be reached for comment.

Last year, a gambling proposal got close to final passage, but died in the final days of session. It was the focal point of much of the session, sidelining other bills in its debate and negotiations. The death of the House-sponsored bills lead to frustration between the two chambers and the House telling the Senate the ball is now in its court.

“We have yet to see any draft legislation from the Senate, nor has the House engaged in any negotiations,” Rep. Andy Whitt, R-Harvest, told ADN on Friday. He was one of the House members who helped draft last year’s legislation.

“I’ve heard they may be working on something, but we’ll have to wait and see what, if anything, they can put together. I’m always an optimist, but we’re getting late into this year’s session. Whatever they send us must address the concerns raised by our House members last year.”

The details

Albritton’s legislation would:

• Create an Alabama Gaming Commission and outline its membership and duties;
• Create within the commission a Gaming Enforcement Division to police gaming activities in the state;
• Allow for six Class II gambling sites in the state, in addition to the three on the Poarch Creek’s federally recognized properties: At each of the racetracks in Jefferson, Macon, and Mobile counties and bingo halls in Greene, Macon and Houston counties;
• Require the state to enter into a compact with the Poarch Creek; 
• Allow for sports betting “whether in-person on the premises of the licensee’s gaming establishment or through an individually branded sports wagering platform website and through an associated mobile application bearing the same brand name.”
• Set a 24% tax rate on net revenue from games of change and sports bets; 
• Put a $2,500 privilege tax on every electronic game at establishments.
• Create a state lottery and the Alabama Lottery Corporation to oversee it;
• Create a Gaming Trust Fund and separate Alabama Lottery Trust Fund to receive the state’s gaming tax revenue and license fees and lottery revenue;
• Allow for traditional raffles or traditional bingo for charity fundraising with a required license and fee not to exceed $25.

A Sept. 16, 2025, approval by voters would allow for the December 2025 appointment of members to the commissions overseeing gambling and lottery operations. 

“We need to grab this industry right away,” Albritton said. “(A September special election) will allow us to get it passed, get it voted on and begin the operation without delay.”

The revenue

There’s no official fiscal note on draft bills, but Albritton estimates total revenue of $750 million, about $250 million coming from a lottery and $500 million from other gambling operations.

Revenues from a lottery would be spent differently than money from other gambling activities outlined in the bill.

Each year, the Legislature would have a supplemental appropriation bill for the Alabama Lottery Trust Fund. The money would first cover the operating expenses of the lottery corporation and gaming commission.

Then, $50 million would be split among road projects, 80% to the Alabama Department of Transportation for state and federal highway projects and 20% for county road and bridge grants.

All remaining money would be transferred to the Education Trust Fund.

On the electronic gambling and sports betting side, those revenues would also be doled out annually, with another $50 million first going to ALDOT and county road and bridge projects. 

Then, 3% to county commissions in an equal amount to be used at the discretion of the county commission and 5% to county commissions for law enforcement purposes. Five percent would go to district attorneys to be used at their discretion.

“Every county will get a portion of this in three forms,” Albritton said. “We’re helping the whole state.” 

The proposal calls for health care spending and says “an amount shall be distributed for the promotion of the stability of the state’s health care delivery system, preserve access to quality health care for qualifying Alabamians, and strengthen the state’s workforce through the provision of health care services to Alabama residents who are actively seeking employment or lack coverage through an employer.”

“Our medical system in America is imploding. We can’t afford it,” Albritton said. “We’ve got to get private industry back in our medical care system. Private-controlled industry is what we need here, not government imposed. And this is an attempt to pull private industry into Alabama for health care services.”

All remaining revenue flows to the General Fund.

For PCI

Albritton’s Senate district includes the Poarch Creeks’ headquarters and reservation and one of the tribe’s casinos. Aside from three casinos that have electronic bingo slots, Class II gaming, the PCI late last year announced plans to purchase Birmingham Racecourse and Casino.

Albritton last year was forced to vote against a heavily amended gambling bill because it didn’t do enough for PCI.

Asked what the new bill does for the PCI, Albritton said “not a lot.”

“We do require that the state enter into a compact with them,” Albritton said. “And it remains that they can’t do Class III gaming (table games) without a compact, and they’re not gonna get Class III gaming unless we have the other avenues of gambling under control and functioning.”

What’s in the compact would be negotiated by PCI and the governor, he said. If another tribe-owned site in north Alabama were in the compact, as has previously been proposed, that would require another constitutional amendment, Albritton said.

What’s next

There are 14 legislative days — days in which the Senate and House can take votes — left in the session that could last until mid-May. In the easiest of circumstances, it takes at least five days to pass a bill. 

Lawmakers have major bills waiting for them in the last half of the session, including the state’s two budgets and priority anti-crime and anti-illegal immigration bills.

Still, Albritton says that’s enough time to pass his bills.

“Frankly, I think we’re closer than we want to admit,” he said. “That’s part of the reason for the stalemate. We’re close, but it’s so much easier (for some) not to make a decision. 

“… Why stick your head out of the trench if you don’t have to?”

https://aldailynews.com/albritton-has-gambling-bill-working-to-shore-up-support-in-second-half-of-session/