Gaming bills may be a focus of the next legislative session in Alabama, in 2024, after not being a focal point of the session this year.
Some lawmakers in the state have recently suggested the idea of gaming bills being in the discussion points for the upcoming legislative session.
Republican Senate Majority Leader, Steve Livingston, gave his thoughts, saying, “There is a gaming bill likely to come in some capacity. We need to prioritize these based on what our caucus members would like to see and put those out.”
To pass the legislation, lawmakers would need to pass a constitutional amendment for citizens to vote on, in order to first legalize gambling in the state.
Senator Greg Albritton explained the benefits of a gaming bill in the state, saying, “The gaming bill would produce probably close to a billion dollars every year, which would help the revenue and help us continue on even if a recession were to occur.”
Albritton has sponsored gaming bills over the last few years and plans on bringing one in next year.
Democratic Representative, Sam Jones, has also emphasized his support for the bill, referencing the money it will bring in to help areas such as infrastructure, education or health care.
“That revenue will not be present in the future, but there are tremendous needs that we need to address, and we think that the revenue from gaming will be a great way to approach some of those long-term needs within the state,” Jones said.
Currently, though some bipartisan support for it has been shown, Alabama is one of five states without legal gambling.
