Alabama lawmakers may revisit gambling legislation during the next four-year legislative period after State Representative Chris Blackshear said the issue will remain difficult to avoid. The Republican from Smiths Station discussed gambling policy during an appearance on Alabama Public Television’s Capitol Journal, where he addressed the state’s current gambling environment and the challenges created by unregulated activity.
Blackshear said lawmakers are currently not drafting a gambling proposal, though he expects discussions to continue in the future. “I still think it’s a conversation we have to have,” Blackshear said.
Alabama remains among the states without a lottery or legal sports betting framework. Any major expansion of gambling would require voter approval because the Alabama Constitution prohibits lotteries and other games of chance.
Lawmaker highlights concerns over existing gambling activity
During the interview, Blackshear pointed to the availability of gambling options that operate outside a state-regulated system. Sports betting remains illegal in Alabama, although he said residents can easily access offshore platforms and other unregulated betting options.
“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 referenced prediction markets, including Kalshi and Polymarket, which operate under federal regulation and allow users to place contracts tied to future events. Blackshear argued that these activities add further complexity to the state’s gambling discussion.
“So you and I can go right now and we can have a go to set up an account predictive markets, Kalshi or whatever, and we can do anything we want to right now, and place a bet right now. And when you do that in the state, unregulated, untaxed, but is existing,” he said.
Blackshear said opponents of gambling expansion should consider how existing activities can be addressed. He noted that tribal gaming operations cannot be changed through state action because of their status under federal law, while other forms of gambling continue to appear across Alabama.
“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.”
Previous proposals faced constitutional and political obstacles
Blackshear previously sponsored a proposed constitutional amendment in 2024 that would have introduced a state lottery, casino gambling, and sports betting. The proposal also included plans for a state gambling commission with enforcement powers and a revenue-sharing agreement involving the Poarch Band of Creek Indians.
The measure passed through the Alabama House of Representatives before changes were made in the Senate. The proposal eventually failed by one vote.
Alabama’s current gambling landscape includes electronic bingo casinos operated by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians on tribal lands, bingo activities approved through local constitutional amendments in some counties, and pari-mutuel betting in four counties that previously hosted greyhound racing facilities.
The debate has also involved disagreements over the possible structure of a regulated market. Discussions have included questions about licensing, participation by tribal operators, casino locations, and how future revenue would be distributed.
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Revenue arguments continue to influence the debate
Blackshear said state finances are another reason gambling may return as a legislative issue. He pointed out that Alabama budgets benefited from significant federal support following the COVID pandemic, while those additional funds have declined.
“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.”
A 2020 report from Gov. Kay Ivey’s Study Group on Gambling Policy estimated that Alabama could generate between $510 million and $710 million annually through a combination of lottery, casino, and sports betting expansion.
Blackshear said potential revenue and regulatory concerns will likely keep the subject active among lawmakers.
“It will be a conversation I look forward to us having,” he continued. “I think it 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.”
Recent political activity has also indicated continued interest from gambling operators. According to Federal Election Commission filings cited in reporting on the issue, the American Conservative Fund, supported by DraftKings and FanDuel, spent more than $9.3 million during Republican primaries earlier in the year, supporting 17 candidates, with 12 of those candidates winning.
Although no gambling legislation is currently being considered, Blackshear’s comments suggest the issue could return during the next legislative cycle as officials weigh regulation, public opinion, and possible constitutional changes.
Source:
Alabama lawmaker on gambling: ‘It’s absolutely going to be addressed’, AL.com, July 20, 2026