Alabama Lawmakers Insist Commission Needed to Control Illegal Gaming

By Jerry Smith Staff Writer Updated: 12/09/2023

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Alabama Gambling Commission

It has been revealed that Alabama lawmakers are in the midst of a heated debate over the creation of a gaming commission, with opinions divided on whether it is a measure to legalize gambling in the state or to curb illegal gaming activities.

Representative Andy Whitt, a strong advocate for the creation of the commission, described the current state of gaming in Alabama as “the Wild West,” highlighting the urgent need for regulation.

Whitt, along with House Speaker Nathanial Ledbetter, is part of a legislative group focusing on gaming issues in Alabama. Both officials have been vocal about the necessity of a gaming commission to address the rampant illegal gambling problem in the state. They are supporting a bill aimed at establishing regulatory frameworks for gaming.

Gambling Already Present in the State

Backers of the Alabama Gaming Commission argue that the presence of gambling in the state is an established fact, and this means that regulation is a must. In a recent speech, Ledbetter emphasized the importance of regulating gambling, referring to its existing presence in Alabama.

Similarly, Representative Chris Blackshear, another member of the legislative group, told Alabama Daily News that the focus should be on regulating the already existing illegal gaming rather than expanding gambling opportunities. He said:

We don’t need to expand gambling, it’s already here. Getting a grasp of how many of those exist is also a goal of the group. It’s unregulated, the state is getting no revenue from it and if we don’t get a handle on it now, we never will.

However, the proposal has met with strong opposition from anti-gambling groups. Greg Davis, who is the president of the Alabama Citizens Action Program (ALCAP), has argued that the Gaming Commission is nothing more than a covert strategy to legalize gambling in Alabama.

Davis suggested that the commission, while it would be set up to regulate gambling, might eventually lead to the legalization of gambling and the establishment of a tax revenue system.

The debate is further complicated by the nature of gambling regulation in other states. For instance, Jacksonville, Florida, proposed regulations to manage “internet cafes” – often fronts for gambling – as a form of control. This example illustrates the complications involved when it comes to regulating gambling in a way that doesn’t necessarily result in the outright legalization of gambling.

Establishing Gaming Commission Not a Straightforward Process

The move toward establishing a gaming commission in Alabama does not appear to be a simple or straightforward process. Alabama, which is mainly a conservative state, does not currently have a lottery and is one of only five states in the US without one.

Changing the conservative stance on gambling will most likely require a lot of time, resources, and effort, with no guarantee of success according to some officials.

The debate over the proposed gaming commission in Alabama is a controversial one, with lawmakers like Whitt and Ledbetter pushing for regulation to tackle illegal gambling, while opponents view it as a veiled attempt to legalize gambling.