Albritton not sure of gaming bill in '23

Wants House to act

With the Alabama Legislature set to go into session March 7 most people expect State Sen. Greg Albritton to introduce a gaming bill to allow the voters to decide whether or not they want to legalize casino-type gaming and a lottery in the state.

Over the past several years Sen. Albritton has introduced gaming legislation only to see the efforts die in the House of Representatives.

“I’ve been the author of very few and a proponent of most,” Sen. Albritton said this week.

However, he’s not optimistic any gaming legislation will pass but expects several gaming bills to come up.

“As far as a comprehensive plan I’m going to wait to see what the House does,” Sen. Albritton said.

“The Senate has been passing bills and sending them down there and the House won’t vote on them.”

Sen. Albritton said it’s past time for the state to take control over gambling, noting gambling is everywhere in the state of Alabama but the state has no control and receives no revenue.

“All someone needs is a cell phone or other device and they can gamble,” he said. “It will continue to grow until the state takes control of that industry. We control barbers, hair dressers, contractors and more but have no control over gaming. It’s right here among us but we have no control and can’t tax transactions.”

“It doesn’t make sense for us not to control gambling in this state,” he added. “I’ve done everything I know to do, so let the House put it in the lead.”

He compared the unregulated and expanding gambling in Alabama to a bull in a china shop and “we continue to let that bull run”.

More than 180 gambling bills have died in the Alabama Legislature since voters rejected Gov. Don Siegelman’s lottery proposal in 1999. Forty-five states currently have state-run lotteries, including Alabama’s neighbors in Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee and Georgia.

 
 
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