Alabama legislator pitches bill for stricter illegal gambling penalties
The proposal would call for violators to be charged with a Class C felony.
Alabama Representative Matthew Hammett has put forth a bill that would raise the penalties for illegal gambling operations, according to an AL.com local news report.
Should the bill pass, the charge for operating illegal gambling could be changed from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class C felony.
This would apply to those charged with “possession of electronic gambling machines and other offenses.”
In addition to the higher charge, violators could face an increase in fines that would more than double what the penalty in Alabama is now.
Fines could increase from up to $6,000 to up to $15,000 under the terms of the proposed bill. A second offense could bring with it a Class B felony and prison time ranging from two to 20 years, along with a $30,000 fine.
Currently, Alabama as no legal gambling markets. However, the topic of welcoming legal gambling statewide is not off the table.
State legislation recently ended its latest session without voting on expanded gambling. The Senate was to consider a bill that would legalize a state lottery, slot machines and video poker.
Lawmakers reached a stalemate on the most recent legal gambling bill after a push to advance the bill fell short by one vote in an earlier session.
A passing vote would have allowed Alabama players access to in-person sports betting, as well as to online sports wagering platforms. The bill would have also set up a state lottery and would authorize up to 10 casino locations with slot machines and table games.
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