Will Alabama Sports Betting be Legalized in 2025?

Will the Alabama sports betting push continue into 2025?

It is a question that has been asked for the better part of a year. The curiosity—the persistence—can be traced back to the last round of legislative sessions. Attempts to legalize sports betting in Alabama were more fervent and more legitimate, it seemed, than ever before. In the end, though, sports betting was stripped from both bills on the table. Now, the future of Alabama sports betting is back to square one.

Or is it? The answer is unclear. But let us see whether we can shed some clarity on it.

What Happened to the Alabama Sports Betting Proposal Last Year?

During the last round of legislative sessions, two separate bills that included Alabama sports betting were on the table. Both seemed to have varying levels of real support inside the House of Representatives.

House Bill 152, in particular, seemed to gain a ton of momentum. It would have created a lottery, the ability to license seven casinos, cleared online sportsbooks in the United States for entry into the market and established a gaming commission to oversee it all.

However, the Senate did not share the same enthusiasm as the House of Representatives. Members wound up stripping down much of HB 152. That includes the legalization of Alabama sports betting.

While these changes incited wider-spread approval among the Senate, they were a no-go for members of the House. The latter swiftly turned down the adjustments.

As such, not only is sports betting in Alabama still not legalized, but the overall expansion of gaming inside The Crimson State remains at a standstill.

It Does Not Sound Like Another Sports Betting Bill will be on the Table in 2025

Anyone pulling for sports betting to remain on the legislative agenda might not want to get their hopes. From the sound of things, it does not seem as if another proposal will be on the 2025 docket.

Senate President Pro-Tem Greg Reed previously gave an interview to a mobile radio station in which he basically confirms the two legislative chambers are operating on different wavelengths. Here are his full comments, courtesy of Legal Sports Report’s Pat Evans:

“Was the attitude of the Senate willing to do gaming legislation during this session? And the answer is yes — it’s just that we weren’t willing as a Senate, based on the feedback from our membership, we weren’t willing to embrace all of the concepts that the House of Representatives had proposed. As time went along, we wound up in a place where this is the House position, this is the Senate position, and we pretty much weren’t going to move off those positions to get to an overall compromise. We’ll have to wait to see what the attitude is going to be of the membership and those that are interested in moving some of this legislation again in the next session. That will remain to be seen.”

Nothing Senator Reed says here bodes well for the sports betting agenda. Of course, things can still change. He certainly left the door open. And the Alabama legislature will not meet until February.

Still, the overall tenor of the discussion tilts toward things staying the same. That is mostly because a compromise feels impossible.

Remember, the Senate’s sentiments seem to oppose casino gambling as well as sports betting. Feelings will have to dramatically change for an actual middle ground to be possible.

Alabama Gaming Laws Exist in the Minority

Bracing for a stark shift in Alabama sports betting views is likely irrational. So many opponents must become supporters. And if last year is any indication, the trendline may be heading in the opposite direction. Many posit that Alabama sports betting support is actually on the decline among policymakers.

If this is the case, it puts The Crimson State in a winnowing minority. Following the legalization of Missouri sports betting earlier this month, Alabama is now one of 11 states without some form of approved sports betting. That list includes Alaska, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Minnesota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah.

Perhaps the rise of online sports betting in the United States prompts a wholesale shift in how the Alabama Senate feels. After all, aside from a few exceptions, the legalization of sports betting seems inevitable for just about every state.

And to be sure, this includes Alabama. They may not be home to a professional sports franchise, but they are in close proximity to many, and betting on college football is bound to become an institution.

What is a Realistic Timeline for Alabama Sports Betting?

This is a question we have thought about at length. Frankly, the answer is…there is no answer. Too much progress must still be made for Alabama sports betting to become a reality.

Indeed, many have painted last year as progress. To some extent, they are correct. The subject of Alabama sports betting is more prevalent than ever.

But the volume of discussions does not matter nearly as much as their substance. And the footnotes from last year’s Alabama sports betting debate do not nod toward progress.

If anything, given the power of the Senate, opposition to sports betting seems to be the lawmakers’ default. So much so, in fact, that it would not surprise us if 2025 legislative sessions go by without a whisper of Alabama sports betting news or developments.

Again, though, there is time before meetings convene. So, we will all just have to wait and see what, if anything, happens next.

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