A new Alabama lottery bill has been advanced by the Senate after several changes to the proposed legislation.
The bill will now return to the house, and if passed will allow a state lottery and electronic wagering machines at several locations across the state.
Having already seen a previous version pass, the House of Representatives must now decide on this new bill. If it wins final legislative approval, the bill will go to the ballot for voter approval on September 10.
The Alabama Gambling Control Act would create a new, nine-member Alabama Gambling Commission. The commission would oversee both the lottery and the pari-mutuel betting.
The act would see 17 local constitutional amendments repealed. It would also place all gambling, including charity bingo and raffles, under the regulation of the Gambling Commission.
Included in the bill is the legalisation of pari-mutual gambling on horse and dog racing, simulcast races, and computerised historical horse racing.
The pari-mutual betting and machines would be in Birmingham, Mobile, Greene County and Macon county – the state’s four former greyhound tracks.
Other locations include bingo halls in Houston County and Lowndes County. These facilities would not be able to offer casino games or electronic bingo, however.
The Alabama lottery bill also calls for the governor to negotiate a compact with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians.
Alabama Lottery Bill Changes
This latest proposal will focus primarily on the creation of an Alabama state lottery. The Alabama Senate Tourism Committee has approved a new version of the gambling legislation approved by the Alabama House.
The amended version would authorise a lottery, but does not include legalising sports betting or casino gaming, which the previous legislation sought to do.
But the Senate Tourism Committee have advanced HB151 and HB152, meaning they could still bring about the state lottery, pari-mutual wagering and historic horse racing.
This new version of the Alabama lottery bill also changes the date on which voters would decide to ammend the constitution in order to sanction the bill.
Instead of being part of the November general election, it would now be a separate vote on September 10.
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