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Alabama legislature may take up gaming again, conservative think tank says it's a bad bet

MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Members of the Alabama legislature begin their second week of the 2025 session today. Gambling expansion is one topic lawmakers may move forward this year but a conservative group says gaming is the wrong bet for the state. Recently members of the conservative think tank, the Alabama Policy Institute, released their study that says no matter how the chips fall this year, any expansion of gambling is a loss. Whether it's a lottery, casinos, online gambling, or sports betting, gambling seems to come up in the legislature every year. The API Report titled 'Gambling is the wrong way for Alabama' says any gaming expansion will have a short-lived economic boost with long-lasting impacts to society–increasing poverty and drug use among other ills. 'We are pro-free market, pro-family and pro limited government. And expanding gambling actually is against every single one of those three tenets,' said Alabama Policy Institute President and CEO Stephanie Smith. 'We believe that gambling revenue is regressive and actually is predatory and looks for places and people who are vulnerable.' Some lawmakers argue Alabama is losing out to other states and to do nothing would be irresponsible. 'We have gaming in Alabama it is alive and well in Alabama, the state has a moral obligation to grab control of this industry,' said Alabama State Senator Greg Albritton. 'We're missing out on protecting the public from this industry. Those who are young, those who are troubled, those that get caught up in it, we have no means to assist, help, or control that. Albritton says legislators were taking bets on the Super Bowl on the floor last week. He says lawmakers have to do something to get a handle on an unregulated industry that's already seeped into the state. Gaming legislation is often put off until the final weeks of the session and usually fails. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.