For anyone worried about the future of legal sports betting in Alabama, it turns out you have a fairly prominent ally. Alabama Senator Greg Albritton wants to legalize sports betting for you, and he plans to try doing so sometime in 2023.
This isn't too much of a surprise for those who have followed the ins and out of the Alabama sports betting issue. Albritton has been a known supporter of the numerous failed initiatives that have ultimately died in the House of Representatives or Senate.
Still, his public commitment to overturning the state's stance on sports betting is somewhat new. He has been far more vocal about the issue since the spring of 2022. And his sentiments aren't just noteworthy because he's making them so openly, but because he's making them at all. Many politicians tend to avoid picking sides on controversial topics during an election year, because they worry it will cost them precious votes.
Albritton, however, doesn't seem phased. And that's pretty refreshing.
But will it mean anything in the end? Or will his words end up becoming little more than a hollow gesture when Alabama rejects yet another legal sports betting bill next year?
Alabama Senator Greg Albritton Outlined Grand Ambitions for Sports Betting
On the heels of yet another failed sports betting initiative, specific details surrounding the proposal have started to emerge. And while these leaks can often be pretty boilerplate, the nuances of the latest failed Alabama sports betting bill are eye opening.
As it turns out, Alabama Senator Greg Albritton doesn't just want to introduce legal sports betting to the state. He wants to recreate the entire region's gambling infrastructure. From Mike Lucas of World Sports News:
"What Sen. Albritton attempted to do in 2022 was introduce proposals to bring more commercial casinos, legal sports betting, and a state lottery to Alabama, all those would only be possible by changing the state constitution, which he also proposed to do this prior session, saying: 'I think there’s a recognition that there’s a need that Alabama take control of this industry. The requirement that Alabama needs to benefit from the gaming that’s already going on.'
"It turned out to be too much, too quickly, and the other lawmakers balked and Albritton’s comprehensive plan never made it past the Senate floor let alone to the House and then Governor Kay Ivey’s desk, a major setback that doesn’t seem to discourage Albritton. Some of the biggest pushback to sports betting in Alabama came from the electronic bingo halls."
This is quite bold on Albritton's part. Most politicians tend to narrow their focus when attempting to push through new legislation. Experts even recently laid out a blueprint for how to get sports betting in Alabama. But Albritton's broader aims appear to have rattled the House of Representatives. Never mind the Senate. He couldn't even get his latest bill through the most basic part of the approval process.
Should Greg Albritton Adjust his Attempts to Legal Gambling?
Common-sense enthusiasts will see this latest news as an impetus for Alabama Senator Greg Albritton to change his approach. If the state is open to legal sports betting in-person, why not focus on that and then circle back to casino gaming, online sports betting, electronic bingo halls and all that jazz.
Albritton hasn't exactly explained why he won't tinker with the terms of his sports betting proposal. More likely than not, though, he doesn't want to deal with drip-and-drab implementation. Many are worried that Alabama could pass a sports betting bill only to decide it needs to create a state lottery first. And if those two things aren't implemented in tandem, it will dramatically slow the entire legal gambling process.
By trying to get Alabama to approve everything in one shot, Albritton is attempting to safeguard the state against running into obstacles or too much red tape. In essence, he wants Alabama to have options while maximizing their revenue stream. And while that sounds like a no-brainer approach on the surface, he represents a state that is notoriously slow to amend their own laws.
Even making one significant change to the Alabama state constitution is considered a chore. Albritton is asking them to rewrite stances on not just sports betting but casino gambling and electronic gaming. Such ambition is a shock to the state's system.
Will Alabama Warm Up to Sports Betting in 2023?
In the time since his last sports betting bill failed, Alabama Senator Greg Albritton has repeatedly reiterated his intention to push through another during the state's next legislature meetings. Those are currently scheduled to take place around January 9, 2023. We may not have any concrete answers until they adjourn potentially months later.
However, in the weeks to come, we should gain clarity of what form Albritton's next sports betting proposal takes. Will he focus just on sports betting in hopes the House of Representatives is more likely to send it through to the Senate? Or will he once again try to overhaul the entire gambling system for his state?
For now, we can only wait and see. But in that time, Alabama sports bettors are not without options. By checking out our reviews of the top online sportsbooks, you'll be able to find a highly rated site that allows you place and collect on bets right now.
Perhaps one day soon you won't need to explore this workaround and can instead head over to one of your state's casinos and visit their on-site sportsbook. Right now, though, it's not an option. And you have to grapple with the reality it might not be for a while.
Take a look at this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can decide which one suits all of your sports betting needs:
Online Sports Betting © 2024