Blackshear Suggests Alabama Sports Betting Up For Discussion After Elections

Meta Description:

For decades, Alabama sports betting has sat just beyond the reach of potential customers. According to one of the main drivers behind it in the Alabama legislature, it’s likely to come up for discussion again sooner rather than later.

Rep. Chris Blackshear (R-Smiths Station) said that legislators will likely discuss putting Alabama sports betting before the voters during the next legislative term. All 105 seats in the Alabama House of Representatives and all 35 seats in the Alabama Senate are up for re-election in November. Both chambers elect members to a four-year term, meaning all 140 members elected in November will serve through 2030, barring deaths or resignations.

Blackshear expects most of the legislature will return for 2027. There’s good reason for him to expect that, as Alabama voters are highly resistant to change. In the last election for the state legislature, only two seats changed parties. Phillip Ensler (D-Montgomery) and Rick Rehm (R-Dothan) were the only candidates to flip a seat. That left the makeup of the legislature the same way it had been for four straight years.

Blackshear himself didn’t face any opposition, and he’s expected to win re-election again this year. That puts him in position to push Alabama sports betting again, as he’s done for several years.

Notably, Alabama does not have any form of legal gambling. It’s one of five states that does not have a lottery, and it doesn’t offer iGaming or sports betting. That’s because the Alabama Constitution explicitly forbids gambling, and it does not permit any laws to change that. In order for Blackshear to spearhead Alabama sports betting, it would need to be via constitutional amendment.

What Is the Process For a Constitutional Amendment in Alabama?

In order to make legal Alabama sports betting a reality, the legislature must propose an amendment to the constitution. The Alabama constitution only allows amendments to start in the legislature; there are no citizen-led amendments in the state.

In practice, that requires at least a three-fifths majority in each chamber of the legislature. Republicans have that majority in Alabama, but the party is divided on whether to legalize gambling. In 2024, Blackshear tried to get such a vote through, but fell one vote short in the Senate.

If that majority does approve this time, the question would go straight to Alabama voters. Unlike the legislature, a simple majority of voters is enough to approve the amendment.

Will An Amendment Focus on Alabama Sports Betting?

It depends on which party controls the governor’s race. Even though the governor takes no role concerning a constitutional amendment, the governor is likely to pressure members of his own party to vote a certain way.

Democratic candidate Doug Jones has said he favors a standalone bill creating an Alabama lottery. Republican candidate Tommy Tuberville hasn’t taken a public position. However, state senator Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) expects Tuberville to take a pro-gambling stance.

What’s the Timeline For an Amendment?

Blackshear suggested that the legislature might not work on Alabama sports betting in 2027. That’s understandable, because an amendment would need to go to the voters at the next election. That wouldn’t come until 2028, unless a special session were called.

Most likely, Alabama will discuss gambling in the 2028 session. That will begin in the first week of February, and will last until sometime in May.