State Sen. Gregg Albritton appeared on Alabama Public Television's Capitol Journal last week to explain why he initially voted against the 2024 gaming bill, which he helped craft this session.

“Three aspects of the conference report that were released make it unacceptable to me to take a position of support,” explained Rep. Albritton (R-Atmore).

“First, this bill does not include all gambling that takes place in Alabama. The key piece I'm talking about here is sports betting. Sports betting is everywhere. It's on the phone, on TV, on the radio. You can hear the odds online. When you check out the play, the odds are listed. Gambling is growing and intensifying.”

“There's absolutely nothing in this bill,” Albritton said. “It would make Alabama a lawless state.”

“Alabama operates the largest sports betting operation in the country and we just choose not to be a part of it.”

“Like I said, it's spreading and it's affecting all age groups, especially minors. It's surprising to me why certain members don't want to deal with it, don't want to control it, don't want to limit it.”

Another thing Albritton took issue with in the final version of the bill was that it did not address the issue of online gaming.

“Whether it's poker or any other type of thing that's available over the phone or online, that's not addressed in the bill. So there are two significant growth areas of this industry that are not regulated at all in this bill, and if you were to try to do that, you'd have to do this whole thing all over again in a different CA.”

“So those were the two difficult ones.”

Rep. Albritton, who voted for the House-Senate compromise bill as a member of the conference committee, voted against the bill Tuesday night, citing concerns from her constituents, the Poarch Band of Creek Indians.

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“In every previous attempt down this path, there was always an attempt to come to an agreement with PCI to provide another site — not a reservation, but actual site that would be taxed and treated like any other industry in Alabama. But that was turned down. It was simply eliminated. Not only that, but it made it impossible for the governor to even negotiate with PCI. There was only so much they could do.”

“Those things just made it unpleasant.”

He noted that PCI has not supported any bills introduced by Alabama to date.

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“They have their reasons, so we need to have a conversation with them about that,” Albritton said, “but my concern is that as far as the opportunity to participate in an industry in which PCI is an expert in the state of Alabama, I think that's unacceptable and unfair.”

He explained that while it is possible to bring the bill forward during the session, it cannot be brought forward unless Senate leaders understand that HB 151, the constitutional amendment, requires a three-fifths majority vote to pass.

“If we don't get the votes necessary to pass the bill, I don't think this bill will be taken up again.”

Albritton said his no vote was not a surprise to other council members.

“I shared my position with my colleagues early on. When I found myself going down a path that I felt was difficult, I told them how difficult it was and where it would take me. I felt it was my duty to get it out of the conference committee and put it on the agenda. But leadership and others, conference members, knew what vote I was getting from there.”

He said he doesn't expect Gov. Kay Ivey will call a special session to pass the bill. Tuesday marks the 28th day of the 2024 state legislative session.

Austin Shipley is a staff writer for Yellow Hammer News.