Guide to Online Gambling in Alabama: Are There Legal Gambling Sites in AL for 2024?
By John Isaac,Editor at online-gambling.com
John Isaac
Editor at online-gambling.com
| Gambling | Legal Since |
|---|---|
| Sports | Will Be Legal: TBD |
| Daily Fantasy | Legal Since: 2019 |
| Casino | Will Be Legal: TBD |
| Poker | Will Be Legal: TBD |
| Lottery | Will Be Legal: TBD |
Gambling Laws in Alabama
Alabama is one of the most conservative US states. Bearing that in mind, it comes as no surprise that the state has a strict anti-gambling policy. Currently, there are only a few legal forms of gambling in the state, which include pari-mutuel gambling, greyhound and horse racing, charitable bingo and Tribal Gaming, which technically does not occur within the state borders. The three legal casinos are located on Native American land and offer slots, Class II electronic bingo gaming and Class III games. Online gambling in Alabama is strictly forbidden and its legalization is not expected in the near future. While some operators might accept Alabamian players, gambling on them is highly inadvisable. The state treats illegal gambling as a legal offense, and anyone engaged in such activities, risks being charged and fined. Even though there have been discussions on whether Alabama should allow certain forms of gambling, the state remains firm in its position and no legal changes are expected in the near future.
- We strictly follow the Alabama gambling laws, the possible changes in the legislation and the activity of the official Alabamian authorities.
- We have a deep understanding of the gambling industry and constantly monitor the gambling-related news by following the local online media such as Al.com and Alabamanews.net
- We have years of experience in creating free gambling guides and operator reviews. Some or most popular articles are about Free Online Slots and Online Blackjack Sites.
Sports Betting in Alabama
Sports betting used to be illegal in the United States under the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992. However, the situation began to change in 2011 when New Jersey claimed that all states must be given the option to choose whether or not they wish to legalize sports gambling. This resulted in the creation of American gambling sites which operate legally. The state’s fight for the legalization of sports betting has been going for years until the Supreme Court finally ruled in its favor in 2018. Currently, each state can choose whether sports gambling should be legal within its borders. Many states have taken steps towards its legalization. Nevertheless, Alabama is not one of them. There have been various discussions on whether the state should legalize sports betting, but no decision has been taken yet. Alabama has not introduced any bills devoted to sports betting legalization and it is highly unlikely to do so. Bearing in mind the state’s negative views towards gambling, the legalization of sports betting is rather improbable. Anyway, if you are willing to learn more, you can refer to the page dedicated to Alabama sports betting.
Daily Fantasy in Alabama
Daily Fantasy Sports in Alabama is considered as an illegal activity, despite the huge popularity of this type of betting in the US. In 2016 Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange stated that paid daily fantasy contests were illegal within the state borders and that both DraftKings and FanDuel have been instructed to cease offering paid contests in Alabama. Consequently, a bill that would legalize Daily Fantasy contests was introduced in the state. The bill was not approved, and Daily Fantasy Sports remains illegal in Alabama.
Online Casinos in Alabama
As we mentioned above most forms of gambling – including online casino in Alabama – are illegal. The religious sentiments and conservative views within the state have restrained it from legalizing casinos and online casinos. Nevertheless, due to the fact that online gambling is not directly mentioned in the Alabama laws, certain offshore operators are accepting players from the state. However, online casinos are considered illegal in Alabama and gambling in any offshore operators is inadvisable. Meanwhile, no bills favoring the legalization of this activity have been introduced and there are no legal changes expected in the near future. So, if you feel impatient to dive into a well-regulated gaming industry, we are happy toannounce that there are many a thriving and legal casino in Delaware.
Online Poker in Alabama
Bearing in mind Alabama’s negative views towards gambling, it comes as no surprise that both poker and online poker are currently illegal within the state borders. We remind you that any game with an element of chance is considered illegal in Alabama. As it is rather unlikely for the state lawmakers to rule that poker is a game of skill, its legalization seems highly improbable.
Alabama Online Lottery
Alabama does not have an official State or online lottery. Nevertheless, the state’s need to legalize the lottery has been repeatedly discussed and according to recent information, a lottery bill might be introduced in the first quarter of 2019. Meanwhile, recent statements suggest that the Alabamian lawmakers do not have strictly negative views towards the lottery and its legalization might become a fact in the near future. Nevertheless, the implementation of an online lottery is not among the state’s current plans. In case you want to know more on the topic, do not hesitate to check out our thorough Alabama lottery page.
History of Gambling in Alabama
Throughout the years, Alabama has established its status as one of the most conservative US states and its views towards the legalization of gambling further confirm that. Nevertheless, regardless of its resistance to legalize gambling, Alabama’s history indicates that at certain moments the state has allowed various forms of betting and has introduced a number of changes to its laws. To help you understand Alabama’s legal gambling changes, we have marked all important moments of the state’s history of gambling in the table below:
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1901 | The Alabama State Constitution officially bans all forms of gambling. The way the law was written managed to include almost all gambling games, including poker, which until nowadays is considered a game of chance in Alabama. |
| 1971 | The Supreme Court legalizes pari-mutuel betting greyhound racing and horse racing tracks. According to the new law, only cities with at least 300,000 inhabitants were allowed to vote on whether they wished to allow betting on horse and greyhound racing. No cities in Alabama have chosen to allow horse racing bets. Nevertheless, a greyhound track was established in Birmingham. |
| 1980 | Charitable bingo is officially allowed in Alabama. |
| 1988 | The Federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act allows tribes to establish casinos on their territories. Nevertheless, these casinos are restricted to various types of bingo games and slot machines. Players interested in engaging in table games would be forced to travel to another state. |
Alabama State Facts
Alabama is the 30th largest US state and has a constantly developing business. Unfortunately, the state does not enjoy a rich economy and has the sixth highest poverty rate among the US. Nevertheless, Alabama is one of the most conservative states and remains firm on its anti-gambling position regardless of the fact that it could be of a great economic contribution. Only a few forms of gambling are currently allowed in the state and no changes are expected in the near future. To help you get a better grasp of Alabama’s background, we have listed the most important facts about the state below:
| Population | 4,863,300 |
|---|---|
| Min. Income | $1,256.67 |
| Biggest Offline Gambling Location | Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Montgomery |
| Gambling Commissioner | n/a |
| Spoken Languages | English – 95.1%, Spanish – 2.2%, German – 0.4%, French – 0.3% |
| Biggest Local Sports Team | |
| Alabama Tax Authority | Alabama Department of Revenue |
| Link to the State Law | http://judicial.alabama.gov/library |
| Gambling Winning Tax | 2%, 4% or 5% depending on the amount of income |
| State Website Link | https://www.alabama.gov/ |
| Famous Local Gamblers | n/a |
Gambling Age in Alabama
The minimum gambling age in Alabama is 19. All 19 years old can legally engage in pari-mutuel gambling and enter and play in any of the three legal casinos in the state. However, only people aged over 21 can enter casinos where alcohol is served. Anyone caught violating the law might be fined and prosecuted.
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Online Gambling Age:
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Alcohol Age
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Weed Age
Responsible Gambling and Addiction Prevention
Most forms of gambling might be prohibited in Alabama, but the state offers professional help and treatment to anyone affected by gambling problems and addiction. The Alabama National Council on Problem Gambling can direct you to the nearest place where you can treat your gambling issues. Additionally, you can contact the Alabama Council of Compulsive Gambling where you can find further information on how and where you can treat your problem or join a support group.
Upcoming Regulation and Expected Changes
Alabama has been following its anti-gambling views for years and no significant legal changes are expected in the near future. Nevertheless, the state has demonstrated an interest in the lottery legalization and according to recent information, a lottery bill might be introduced in the first quarter of 2019. If approved, the Alabama state lottery could potentially be launched by the end of 2019. Meanwhile, we will follow the Alabama gambling laws and will inform you if any changes occur.