Chris Boline
Things continue to be at a standstill when it comes to Alabama sports betting trying to get things across the line. As everyone in the state knows, legal wagers are not permitted at this time, but there are several officials and politicians who are trying to get things changed as soon as possible. A lot of people know the benefits of sports betting, which is why an Alabama Senator used the Super Bowl as an example of why sports betting is needed at some point down the road.
For a while now, republican senator Greg Albritton has been pushing for the legalization, as he knows how great the revenue possibilities could be for the state. Albritton has teamed up with a lot of colleagues to try and get a bill to get noticed with legislators, but thus far he hasn’t been able to be successful. With more than 50 million Americans expected to have bet on the Super Bowl, he wants people to wake up and see that Alabama is missing out.
“Right here, on your phone, you can do the betting,” Albritton said on the ease it is for people across the country to not only checking betting odds, but place wagers as well. “You can enter into that participation any time. And that’s not just for the Super Bowl but with any other sports activity.”
As you can see from that quote from Albritton, you can tell that he’s a bit disappointed with the lack of movement for the sports betting push. More than 30 states have legalized sports betting, but in the southern part of the USA, there hasn’t been much urgency. Albritton is hoping that will no longer be the case and more people will choose to support his efforts. It’s completely up in the air if that will happen or not.
Super Bowl betting sets records for sportsbooks https://t.co/LTNsRZrfl8
— CNBC (@CNBC) February 13, 2023
Alabama hasn’t had any luck with betting bills in the past
What adds to the concern for everyone is that Alabama hasn’t had any luck with betting bills in the past. This is something that has infuriated Albritton and others who are proponents of the legalization. The fact of the matter is that the necessary votes haven’t come in order for a 180 to be recorded. There’s too much opposition, but the hope right now is that everyone can come together on some sort of an agreement.
What made Albritton and others so upset is that millions and millions of people checked the Super Bowl betting odds and put money down. Not only that, but it was projected that around $16 billion worth of bets would be placed. With that high of a number, you better believe that states across the board in America reeled in a hefty amount of revenue, which of course could be distributed to so many different channels.
However, that wasn’t the case in Alabama, although plenty of illegal activity surely went down. Throughout the campaign, people were rushing to check the NFL betting odds in Alabama and place their wagers either through an offshore account, or through a bookie. A lot of illegal bookies have been caught running their rings, leading to serious consequences. Tax dollars and countless hours are being spent trying to shut these down.
That could all be changed if Alabama were to make things legal and everything was done the right way. This is what Albritton will continue to push for, but unfortunately there isn’t a lot of optimism for things to arrive by later this year or 2024. There’s just too much uncertainty and opposition. However, you never know if people would change their minds if the right bill were to be put on the table.
Super Poll: Sports betting is illegal in Alabama. Where do you stand on the issue? https://t.co/3O9Q6J8zfg
— FOX10News | WALA (@FOX10News) February 12, 2023
Albritton knows there’s a long road ahead for sports betting
We don’t have to tell you that Albritton knows there’s a long road ahead for sports betting, as he’s working around the clock to try and get people to see things through his eyes. It’s going to take a high number of votes to get things switched up. The good news for Albritton is that he’s starting to see some people turn the corner. The bad news is that we’ve gotten our hopes up in the past, only to be let down again.
“We’re at a standoff like we were last year,” Albritton said on the attempts to try and get sports betting legalized. “You know, I brought the comprehensive bill and (republican) Chip Brown dropped the lottery in the House. And neither one of them passed. Everybody was waiting for somebody else to take the first step.”
What could end up helping Alabama and Albritton is that it looks like Georgia is also working hard to try and legalize sports betting. If things were to be launched in a major city like Atlanta, it could (hopefully) make people realize just how strong the potential for betting would be in Alabama as well. Football bets would be through the roof, without question. Albritton is going to keep working hard until something gets done. No one knows when that will happen, though.
