by
Alabama was a talking point in the most recent Super Bowl — which proved to be one of the biggest betting events of all time. Talking point for two reasons.
One, two former Crimson Tide players — Jalen Hurts and Devonta Smith — played instrumental roles in the Eagles upset victory of the Chiefs. Hurts won MVP with a 3-TD performance and Smith became the first-ever Alabama-drafted player to win a Super Bowl (remember, Hurts was drafted out of Oklahoma). The two even connected for a 46-year touchdown that practically sealed the game.
So that was good. But the bad: Alabama locals largely missed out betting on the two Tide-bred players. The state is one of 11 without a legal sports betting market — and the latest news points to this remaining the case.
We have an update on Alabama’s sports betting hopes. Spoiler alert: it ain’t looking all that promising for 2025 at least. Keep reading and we’ll tell you all about what’s going on.
Senate Support Is Lacking
If there’s been one advocate for Alabama sports betting, then it’s been Senator Greg Albritton. He championed a failed bill in 2022. Well, he’s trying to lead a push again in 2025. But…. it’s not going all that well.
He recently went on the Jeff Poor radio show to talk about his progress on the legalization end. He outright said he’s a few votes short of his goal.
“I don’t have 21 votes in the Senate. I’ve got to have 21 votes in the Senate to move this along. And keep in mind now, last week, before Sunday’s Super Bowl, bets were being made in the State House, I’ll say it that way, on the upcoming Super Bowl. Bets were being made. I think Jalen Hurts made a lot of money for people in Alabama in that win,” Albritton said during the show.
Why 21 votes? That’s how much is needed to pass a bill in the Senate. So right now there’s no bill — and there won’t be one until those 21 votes are secured. Albritton is saying he’s a few votes short at the moment.
Senate Is Key For 2025 Efforts
All right so Albittron is short on support. Can’t the House just take the lead on a new betting bill? Well, they have essentially put the ball in the Senate’s hands.
You see, a year ago around this time, the House approved bills HB 151 and HB 152, which called for the legalization of sports, casino, and even a lottery (Alabama is one of five without a state-run lottery). The bills would have created sweeping changes across the state, but alas, both bills were gutted once they entered the Senate. Gutted!
For starters, the Senate Tourism Committee removed all sports betting provisions from the proposed gaming bills. The revised package included only a state lottery, approval for three tribal casinos, and pari-mutuel wagering on horse and dog races at seven state tracks. Although the Alabama Senate eventually passed these amended bills, the House rejected the significant changes, requesting a conference committee to reconcile the differences between the chambers.
The conference committee returned with a report allowing for a state lottery and up to seven licensed slot parlors across Alabama. However, the report excluded full casinos, table games, and sports betting. While the House approved these amended bills, the legislation ultimately stalled in the Senate, reportedly falling just one vote short of the required approval. This narrow miss is still fresh, hence why the House wants the Senate to take lead on it this legislative session.
Betting Is Still Going On In Alabama
What’s the most hilarious part here is that Albritton outright admitted illegal Super Bowl bets were placed inside the House. Maybe he’s going with shock value, but you’re fooling yourself if you don’t think offshore sportsbooks are thriving inside the state.
As of right now, Alabama bettors are best off going offshore. These sites work across state lines — and sometimes offer even better playing experiences than big names like Caesars and FanDuel. Since the sportsbooks operate offshore, they are allowed to skirt around Alabama regulations. There lies the problem, says Albritton.
“[T]his, in my opinion, Alabama has a moral obligation to take control of this industry and to regulate it, to protect the public,” Albritton said. “We have that obligation, and yet we can’t seem to get 21 votes to take this in and to control it.”
Disregard the comment about “protecting the public.” That’s just political speak for what the real motive is — to tax the industry and put more money into the lawmakers coffers. But hey, the latter is not necessarily bad. Most states across the country use sports betting revenue to fund their education systems. Alabama could do the same if it ever legalized.
But will they? It doesn’t seem likely for the foreseeable future. Both the House and Senate have their hesitations as we covered. Without one backing it, there’s almost no shot of any bill getting passed. That’s just our two cents, but we’d love to be proven wrong and so would many Alabama bettors who are playing offshore right now.
Best Betting Sites 