MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WBMA) – Leaders in the Alabama House of Representatives have said the ball is in the Alabama Senate’s court to propose gambling legislation this year after bills originating in the House failed to cross the finish line last year. Although a bill hasn’t been filed, discussions have been held about the topic.

Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, shed some light on the situation Thursday.

“I’m hearing it may be coming back. I have not seen a bill. I’ve been hearing some concepts. The concepts I am hearing, I can support it, but yet I still have not seen a bill,” Singleton said.

If legislation is brought up this session, it seemed bills would not be filed until lawmakers return from their spring break, which is in March.

“The concepts are, you’re still looking at trying to bring in sports wagering, a lottery, and some kind of gaming. Whether that be Class II or Class III. Whichever we think can pass. That is what I am hearing,” Singleton said.

Determining where revenue from gambling would go is a significant part of any bill that is filed. In previous proposals, education would have received a large part of the funds.

When asked about discussions of allocating funding to roads and bridges, Singleton said, “I don’t think all of this money needs to go to roads and bridges. I think that we have a lot of things going on. The federal government takes care of a lot of our roads and bridges. We have Medicaid that needs money. We need to do more with healthcare, rural healthcare. Save some of our hospitals. I think there’s a lot of places the money can go before it goes to roads and bridges. I don’t have a problem with some of it going to roads and bridges. That does not need to dominate where the dollars go.”

Singleton reiterated he had not seen any legislation as of Thursday afternoon.

“Until me and my party see it, we can’t commit to vote for it,” he said.

Last year, a comprehensive gambling package that originated in the House failed to pass in the final days of the session.

Before being altered in the Senate, the bills included a lottery, sports betting, casinos, and a gaming compact with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians (PCI). The state’s projected revenue from those forms of gaming totaled between $935.6 million and $1.214 billion annually.

PCI, which owns gaming facilities in Atmore, Montgomery, and Wetumpka, opposed the legislation as it was filed by the House. In November, PCI announced it would acquire the Birmingham Racecourse and Casino.

On Feb. 13, Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, told reporters the legislation the Senate comes up with would have to be comparable to what the House proposed in 2024.