As Alabama lawmakers convened for the 2026 legislative session, gambling legislation appeared unlikely to surface, breaking a pattern seen in recent years. Legislative leaders have signaled that proposals to expand gambling lack sufficient support, even as statewide candidates and the governor continue to advocate for voter consideration.
Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger said early caucus discussions would help gauge interest but expressed doubt about momentum. “We won’t know until our first caucus, which will be 13 January, but we’ll start talking about it, and probably by the end of January we’ll kind of see what is the feel of everyone on that particular subject,” Gudger said. “But as of right now, if I had to give you my gut feeling, I would say it would not be coming up this year.”
House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter also indicated no active plans in the House. “We certainly don’t have anything. It’d have to come out of the Senate, first of all,” Ledbetter said.
Structural Hurdles Remain
Alabama is one of five states without a lottery. Any gambling expansion requires a constitutional amendment, which must secure two-thirds approval in both chambers before going to voters. The last lottery referendum in 1999 failed by a 54% to 46% margin.
In 2024, Ledbetter advanced a broad gambling package that included a lottery, casinos, sports betting, and a compact with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. The proposal passed the House but fell one vote short in the Senate.Senator Greg Albritton, a longtime sponsor of gambling legislation, declined to introduce a bill last year and again this session, citing insufficient support.
Disagreements over how gambling revenue would be allocated have also stalled progress. Meanwhile, the Poarch Band of Creek Indians has increased its legislative focus, acquiring the Birmingham Race Course in 2024 and retaining lobbying firm Fine Geddie.
Governor And Candidates Weigh In
Governor Kay Ivey has repeatedly supported allowing voters to decide. After a failed effort in 2022, she said, “I was disappointed that they did not get the gambling bill passed. Not that I am so much for gambling, but I do think the people of Alabama ought to have the right to make that decision. I wish that had passed the legislature so that people could vote it up or down in November.” A gaming committee she formed in 2020 estimated a full package could generate up to $800 million annually.
With a gubernatorial election approaching, candidates are addressing the issue. U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville said voters should have the final say. “I hear people say they want a lottery, they want both a lottery and gambling, they want a sportsbook, they want horse racing, dog racing, all this,” Tuberville said.
Democratic State Rep. Phillip Ensler, a candidate for lieutenant governor, has also pledged to push for a lottery if elected. “People cross over state lines to buy lotto tickets and we’re missing out on hundreds of millions of dollars that could be used for education or could be used for healthcare” Ensler said.
Despite continued public debate, legislative leaders maintain that gambling proposals face steep odds in 2026.
Source:
“Alabama gambling legislation faces steep uphill climb”, igamingbusiness.com, January 13, 2026
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