Alabama Senator Seeks Voter Decision on Gambling

A renewed gambling debate is heading back to the Alabama Legislature, driven by a proposal that would shift the final decision directly to voters. A new bill planned for introduction next week would ask Alabamians whether gambling should be legalized through a statewide constitutional amendment.

The proposal focuses on opening the door rather than setting final rules. Voters would decide whether the governor can create a gambling commission and whether lawmakers can regulate a lottery, gaming, and sports betting.

Good to Know

• The bill would send gambling legalization to a statewide vote
• A constitutional amendment remains required under Alabama law
• Past gambling efforts failed despite strong House support

What the Proposal Would Do

Merika Coleman said the goal is to let voters answer a single, direct question:

“Is this something that you want to do — yes or no?”

If approved by lawmakers and voters, the amendment would allow the governor to establish a gambling commission. Lawmakers would then gain authority to draft and pass legislation covering a lottery, gaming operations, and sports betting.

Coleman framed the bill as a reset after years of stalled efforts.  She told AL.com:

“This bill simply gives us the ability to come back and actually establish gaming in the state of Alabama. It’s not just the lottery, it’s gaming, it’s sports betting, it’s all of the stuff that folks are talking about.”

A Narrow Failure Still Looms Large

Gambling legislation nearly crossed the finish line in 2024. A comprehensive bill cleared the House with 70 votes but fell short in the Senate by one vote.

That package covered a lottery, casinos, sports betting, a compact with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, and the creation of a gambling commission.

Greg Albritton, a prior sponsor of gambling legislation, voted against the measure. He later summed up the breakdown. He said:

“I think we missed the board.”

Election Year Hesitation Did Not Stop the Push

Many observers expected gambling to stay off the agenda during an election year. Coleman said public pressure changed that calculation:

“Everywhere I go, people are asking, are we going to take this issue up?”

She added:

“Since nobody else is talking about it, I said, ‘Why not me?’”

Her approach shifts political risk away from lawmakers and toward voters, allowing the public to settle a long-running debate.

Alabama Constitution language bans lotteries, meaning any expansion of legal gambling requires voter approval through a constitutional amendment.

Before reaching the ballot, three fifths of both chambers must approve the measure. That threshold equals 21 of 35 senators and 63 of 105 representatives.

The last statewide vote on gambling came in 1999. Voters rejected a lottery amendment by a 54 percent to 46 percent margin.

Budget Pressure Drives Renewed Urgency

Coleman, who serves on the Budget Committee, tied the issue directly to future state finances. She pointed to money flowing out of Alabama as residents gamble in neighboring states. She also said:

“All of this gaming money is now going across the borders.”

She also warned of mounting fiscal strain tied to potential federal funding reductions under legislation signed into law by President Donald Trump:

“We have some major deficits coming at us. And we’re going to have to figure out where in the world this revenue will come from — ‘27 is going to be hard, but ‘28 is going to be doggone near impossible if we don’t have some type of new revenue.”

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