Lottery and gambling legislation could be on tap again in the Alabama Legislature in the 2025 session.

The final version of a gambling and lottery package passed the House but fell short by one vote in the Senate in the final days of the 2024 session in May. 

Since the last legislative session ended, Wind Creek Hospitality, owned by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, and the McGregor family, owners of Birmingham Race Course and Casino and Victoryland Casino, announced in November that they had entered into an agreement under which Wind Creek would acquire the Birmingham Race Course. The sale is expected to be finalized in early 2025.

State Sen. Greg Albritton (R-Atmore) told 1819 News on Wednesday he hadn’t heard of any new gambling-related bill being worked on yet for the 2025 session.

“The problem hasn’t gone away. The issue hasn’t gone away so it’s not a matter of if it’s simply a matter of I think when,” Albritton said. “I haven’t seen any bill. I’m unaware of anybody that has a bill. No one has admitted to working on a bill.”

State Sen. Rodger Smitherman (D-Birmingham) said he thought another lottery and gambling bill would come before the Senate in 2025.

“I think that issue is going to come before us. I just don’t know to what extent or how much attention it is going to get, but I’m sure someone is going to bring it before us,” Smitherman told 1819 News on Friday.

Gina Maiola, a spokesperson for Gov. Kay Ivey, told 1819 News on Friday, “The governor has made her position on gambling clear last Session, as well in years past.”

“That being said, at this point, I would refer you to the Legislature,” Maiola said.

State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur), a no vote on multiple gambling bills in the 2024 session, said on Huntsville radio WVNN’s “The Dale Jackson Show” on Friday that a lottery bill was “low-hanging fruit.”

Lottery-only legislation in Alabama, if passed, would also likely open the door for table games and slot machines on the Poarch Creek Indians (PCI) tribal land in Atmore, Montgomery and Wetumpka because lotteries are considered class III gaming under federal law.

Orr said, “It will probably continue to be debated as to what (PCI) could do if we were to have a lottery.”

“What I hear from people is: lottery. They want a lottery. Now, if there’s fallout to that we need to try to define…fallout being defined as if it leads to more table games elsewhere then that certainly needs to be defined and in the equation for people to make a judgment on whether they want to vote for that lottery or not, what the lottery might entail,” Orr said.

To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email caleb.taylor@1819News.com.

Don’t miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every weekday morning.