Alabama Legislative Session Ends With No Sports Betting in Sight

Attempts to launch a legal state lottery and sports betting platform in the state of Alabama are officially over, thanks to the 2024 legislative session ending Thursday. Residents will have to wait a while longer to gain access to our best sports betting sites.

Legislation toward a legal gambling platform that would include sports betting, a state lottery, commercial casinos, and online casino gaming in Alabama had been on very thin ice. A conference committee set up to find some common ground on the idea of legalization ultimately failed to move on sports wagering legalization this past session. 

That said, there was a sense of optimism that lawmakers in the state could finally break the deadlock in the state surrounding a legal platform.

House Bill 151 and House Bill 152 passed 70-32 and 67-31, respectively. However, the Senate not only stripped sports betting language from those proposals but ultimately failed to move on the possibility of lottery and sports wagering for its state residents.

Some history

Alabama legislators have not been shy about attempting to legalize a state lottery, as all but five states have one. In fact, there has been an attempt almost every year since 1999 to get something over the finish line. Sports betting has recently been added to any package to get residents access to our best sports betting apps.

Even Gov. Kay Ivey has signaled her support for gambling legislation in the state. A report she spearheaded acknowledged that an Alabama legal sports betting platform could generate up to $800 million per year with a mature casino and sports betting industry.

In the past, the Senate had proposed legal gambling bills, with the House ultimately stalling any progress. This year, the Senate effectively shot down a pair of House bills aimed at legalizing a state lottery and online sportsbook platform.

The Senate was responsible for removing any sports betting language and real money online casinos from the House Bills. This move forced the creation of a conference committee, which ultimately failed to get anything across the finish line.

Where does Alabama go from here?

As demonstrated the last few years, Alabama legislators are not afraid to raise the possibility of a state lottery and online sports betting industry.

Frustration with the lack of movement on a seemingly popular and ultimately lucrative Alabama legal gambling industry is obvious. As the governor put it, “Every year, it’s always wait till next year. I think people are tired of waiting until the next time.”

Alabama represents just the latest Southern State to pass on sports betting legalization. In addition, there have been zero states that have legalized sports betting this year, although North Carolina launched its wildly successful platform in March.

There will be efforts to legalize sports betting and a state lottery in Alabama again and momentum seems to be picking up among lawmakers. While difficult to predict, expectations are that Alabama is on a path toward legalization. Just don’t expect it for another couple of years.