The Poarch Band of Creek Indians (PCI) has relaunched its pro-gambling and lottery campaign in Alabama as a new four-year legislative period begins. The commercial highlights the financial benefits these betting verticals would bring to the Yellowhammer State.
The ad spot features workers in various vocations – from physicians to firefighters – saying that the bill could bring in around $700m a year. They claim this money would be allocated to tackle an array of different problems; infrastructure, healthcare, education, high-speed internet connection and public safety infrastructures.
The PCI rolled out the same ‘Winning for Alabama’ campaign in 2019 at the onset of the last quadrennium. However, the pro-gambling legislation brought out during this period suffered defeat in two regular legislative sessions.
In 2022, State Senator Greg Albritton brought out a controversial set of bills that critics said had pre-emptively chosen the ‘winners’ regarding who would operate gambling in Alabama. The legislation would have given exclusive rights to the PCI while ensuring the state got a share of the revenue from PCI casinos.
The legislation has now been amended due to the criticism it faced. The amendments made would limit the number of casinos in Alabama to allow Victoryland, the Birmingham Race Course, Greenetrack, the Mobile Greyhound Park and three existing Indian casinos to have these betting verticals.
Furthermore, it would legalize the practice in ‘satellite’ casinos in Houston and Lowndes Counties, and a new casino in Jackson or Dekalb County.
The gambling plan was based on the findings of Alabama Governor Kay Ivey’s Task Force on Gaming.
