Alabama lawmakers are expected to revisit gambling legislation during the state’s next legislative term, according to Representative Chris Blackshear, who said the issue remains unresolved as unregulated gambling activity continues across the state.
Speaking on Alabama Public Television’s Capitol Journal, the Republican representative from Smiths Station said no legislation is currently being drafted. However, he expects lawmakers to return to the issue during the next four-year legislative cycle.
Blackshear pointed to illegal sports betting websites and federally regulated prediction markets as evidence that gambling already exists despite Alabama remaining one of five states without a lottery and one of 11 without legal sports betting.
Existing Gambling Activity Fuels Debate
“I would say right now there are no guardrails in the state, right?” Blackshear said. “If you want to, you and I can pull the phone out right now and go to one of the illegal sites and make a sports bet.”
He also cited prediction market platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket as additional betting options available to Alabama residents.
Blackshear said critics of gambling expansion should explain how the state plans to address existing activity.
“I would love anybody on the opposing side of things to come to us with a solution of how do we then stop what’s already existing,” Blackshear said.
“You can’t touch what’s on tribal land. But there’s a lot of other quasi, some would argue legal, illegal gaming that exists across the state.
“It’s growing every day. It’s popping up every day. What’s the solution to reel that in and control it? There’s got to be some type of control parameter.
“So I think it’s absolutely going to be addressed.”
Earlier Proposal Narrowly Failed
Blackshear sponsored a constitutional amendment in 2024 that proposed a state lottery, casinos, sports betting, a gambling commission and a revenue-sharing compact with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. The House approved the bill before it failed in the Senate by a single vote.
Because Alabama’s constitution prohibits lotteries and other games of chance, voters would have to approve any expansion.
The state currently allows electronic bingo on Poarch Band of Creek Indians tribal lands, bingo in certain counties through local constitutional amendments and pari-mutuel wagering in four counties with former greyhound tracks.
Revenue Could Renew Legislative Interest
Blackshear said shrinking budget surpluses could increase interest in new revenue sources.
“It’s easy to forget about hard times when your budgets have been so flush,” Blackshear said.
“You’ve been hearing us say for several years on the ETF (Education Trust Fund) side and the General Fund side, the extra money in the budgets are coming to an end. Well, that truly is coming to an end.
“So it’ll be a conversation that I look forward to us having. I think it absolutely will happen. And I think yet again we’re going to have to do something. I think continuing to avoid the elephant in the room is not going to be the answer.”
A 2020 report from Gov. Kay Ivey’s Study Group on Gambling Policy estimated that a lottery, casinos and sports betting could generate between $510 million and $710 million in annual revenue for Alabama.
Source:
“Alabama lawmaker on gambling: ‘It’s absolutely going to be addressed’”, al.com, Jul 20, 2026
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