Alabama residents have always overall shown an aversion towards gambling. There only exist a couple of options in the state. Moreover, the Constitution of Alabama from 1901 clearly states that all games of chance and lotteries are illegal. mutuel betting was legalized first, and it was followed by the regulation of bingo in some counties where the residents supported the idea of bingo legalization with their votes. Nowadays, there are several casinos and racetracks in Alabama where you can place bets on horse races or enjoy bingo, and some of them are owned by a Native American tribe. The latest form of gambling to be legalized is daily fantasy sports. However, most of the popular options and their online versions remain illegal in Alabama.

1971 : The first officially recognized and regulated gambling options were allowed in 1971 when the Supreme Court ruled that pari-mutuel wagering is constitutional. Shortly after that, Alabamans received an opportunity to bet on greyhound racing, as racetracks were opened in Eutaw, Mobile, and Shorter. Therefore, it’s safe to say that the year 1971 was the official year when Alabama started opening up to gambling activities.

1985: Fourteen years after pari-mutuel legislation, Bank Creek of Indians opened their first high-stakes bingo hall in Atmore. The tribe started operating successfully and even expanded its business to Montgomery and Wetumpka.

1987: The Birmingham Turf Club horse race track opened. However, it did not operate successfully and eventually had to file for bankruptcy. The place soon became a greyhound racetrack.

1998: Nothing happened in terms of gambling legalization for the next 10+ years. There was an attempt to establish a state lottery back in 1998 when Gov. Don Siegelman openly supported the idea. However, the public didn’t like it and voted against this activity. Alabama is one of the six states that do not have an official state lottery.

2003: The VictoryLand track installed electronic bingo machines. The venue in Shorter started a sort of war with the state that lasted for almost a decade. Namely, the state recognized the bingo machines like slots and considered them illegal, while the gambling operators thought of them as bingo, which was legal at that moment in Macon County. As soon as the track brought the machines, government officials would knock on the door, confiscating them as illegal. This lasted comically long, but it seems it stopped in 2016, as no raids took place after that, and Macon County residents can now play bingo freely.

2019: The year 2019 was particularly interesting as it was the first time a sports gambling legislation was introduced. However, it didn’t advance beyond the committee. What matters is that there was an attempt, meaning such attempts are probably going to become more common in the future and, hopefully, more successful. After all, sports play a big part in the daily life of Alabaman residents, and their support for sports betting could grow stronger in time.

2020: The next attempt took place the very next year, but it failed to advance once again. Moreover, 2020 was the year when dog racing ended, meaning the only betting option in Alabama was horse racing. Moreover, Poarch Band of Creek Indians were allowed to expand their gambling options if they agree to pay tax to the state.