Will Alabama Finally Get A Lottery Vote After 28 Years?
Alabama is one of only five states without a lottery and it has been 28 years since the public got the chance to vote on the issue. Gaming legislation has been submitted time and again in Montgomery since then but has failed to make it to the governor's desk for a signature.
This week Jefferson County Sen. Merika Coleman (D-19) submitted legislation that would legalize gaming in Alabama. That would include a statewide lottery, licensed casinos and sports wagering.
“I’m one of those people that may go drive across the state line to get a ticket, and you see nothing but Alabama tags there,” Coleman told reporters after submitting her legislation. Her bill would let Alabamians have a vote on a constitutional amendment.
Since the 1998 constitutional amendment failed by only some 100,000 votes, subsequent bills have been killed, usually in the senate, by a combination of special interests such as the Poarch Creek Indian Tribe, Mississippi casinos and Alabama Baptists, among others.
Coleman describes her legislation as letting the people, not special interests decide, “This is simply allowing people to say yes or no. We have some major deficits and it’s going to get worse. We have a duty to find solutions. I’ve seen the polling and the people of my district want an opportunity to vote on whether we have gambling, a lottery. That’s what this bill does – gives them that opportunity.”
Polling consistently shows a majority of Alabama residents now want a stand-alone state lottery, with support often reported at 70 to 80% of those surveyed. However, inclusion of casinos and sports waging reduces those numbers.
The Republican supermajority control of the legislature is a daunting roadblock with their association with evangelicals often resulting in their opposition to any type of gambling legislation.
The wildcard this year may be that 2026 is an election year. It is an issue being put forward by Democratic Party Gubernatorial front-runner Doug Jones. "“I think we need to quit sticking out like a sore thumb among all the southern states and pass a lottery,” Jones said in Huntsville earlier this week. “We’re the only state in the south that doesn’t have a lottery.”
Republican Tommy Tuberville recently said he believes the voters should have a say in the state’s decision to legalize gambling. However, he adds economic growth is more important to Alabama's future than a lottery.
Here is what it will take for Alabamians to get a chance to vote on a lottery. Coleman's amendment must be approved by three-fifths of both legislative chambers before it can be placed on the ballot for voters. Three-fifths constitutes 21 of 35 senators and 63 of 105 representatives. Gov. Ivey has voiced willingness to allow a vote.
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