Does Alabama Have Gambling Casinos

When it comes to states synonymous with the South and its traditions, there may be no greater representative than Alabama. Its contributions and appearances in American history are legion, both good and bad.

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There are 4 gaming establishments in AL: the Wind Creek Casino & Hotel of Wetumpka, the Wind Creek Casino & Hotel of Atmore, the Wind Creek Casino & Hotel of Montgomery and the Victoryland Casino of Shorter. In total, the State features more than 10,000 slot machines and 15 gaming tables. The bets go to $0.01 to $10. There are 4 gaming establishments in AL: the Wind Creek Casino & Hotel of Wetumpka, the Wind Creek Casino & Hotel of Atmore, the Wind Creek Casino & Hotel of Montgomery and the Victoryland Casino of Shorter. In total, the State features more than 10,000 slot machines and 15 gaming tables. The bets go to $0.01 to $10.

However, there may be no state more confused about its identity with respect to gambling than Alabama. It has forged its own unique place as perhaps the most on-again, off-again state in the union.

Online gambling

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Alabama’s official stance on online gambling is similar to that of many states. There is no law definitively for or against online gambling in the Heart of Dixie. However, the only brand of gambling that is securely legal in Alabama is pari-mutuel facilities.

Furthermore, there is no state lottery in Alabama. This negates a common avenue for proponents of gambling to introduce slot machine-type gambling to regions of the country. So, the current climate for typical online gambling is fairly negative, even though its status under the law is uncertain. AL sports betting is not yet legal.

However, Alabama is moving forward with the Fantasy Sports Bill. It recently cleared the state house and could become law in the near future. The bill, dubbed HB354, now moves to the Alabama State Senate. In theory, it could be on the governor’s desk within a few weeks. There are some rumbles of constitutional difficulty with the bill though, because of Alabama’s express prohibition of gambling in its chief legislative document.

Interestingly though, supporters of the bill have managed to turn the discourse about DFS into one where daily fantasy sports is primarily a skill game. Thus it cannot be considered gambling under state law. This structuring of the argument could potentially open the door for other expansions in the state for skill-heavy games, such as poker. For right now, the best thing to do is wait and see. But it does seem that things might be shifting down on the Delta.

Likely online gambling operators

Social casino options

The social casino options in Alabama are typical of most states. Slotomania, Double Down Casino, Big Fish, ZyngaPoker, and Zynga Slots are all available.

However, Alabama’s laws are uniquely harsh when it comes to enforcement. Even social gambling is barred inside the state, to the point that players in home games have found themselves on the receiving end of the criminal justice system. Players should exercise great caution in playing any type of casino game in Alabama. This includes the free social ones on Facebook or mobile devices.

The option about which to be especially cautious is MyVegas. This is MGM’s free slots app that allows players to build up loyalty points in a banked account. The danger lies in the fact that these loyalty points can be exchanged for real-world comps at participating MGM properties and partners, including some properties in nearby Mississippi. It would not be a stretch for Alabama to apply its stringent anti-gambling laws to the receipt of these prizes.

State casino operator history

Pari-Mutuel wagering

Alabama has one of the more hit-and-miss gambling histories in the US. The state legalized pari-mutuel wagering on horse and dog races in 1971. Its first track opened in 1973, but the tracks have been malingering along by offering less-prestigious greyhound racing for several years.

Bingo

Its first bingo parlor opened in 1980 when a single county legalized it (Jefferson, through constitutional amendment). However, the state has had to pass 18 more amendments to bring bingo to each new county that desires the game.

Most notably, the game of electronic bingo has gone back and forth in legality several times since 2003. Voters in Macon County approved a constitutional amendment to allow the machines at the Victoryland racetrack. This began a comical cycle of the facility placing machines at the location and the government confiscating the machines and associated cash, along with closing down the entire facility, only to have the racetrack reopen again with new machines. This cycle has occurred at least twice, and many small debates have raged between these blow-ups. As of September 2016, Alabamans can once again play electronic bingo at Victoryland. No word on when the next raid and shutdown will occur.

Lottery

The state does not offer a lottery option to its residents, even though lottery is often the exception for many states (like Texas) that are traditionally opposed to gambling. Various important citizens in the state have been campaigning for a lottery since 1993. In fact, it was a major plank for Don Siegelman when he successfully ran for governor in 1998. Even so, he still couldn’t get the constitution amended to allow lottery. There was hope for some movement in 2020, but the regular legislative session adjourned without a hearing on any lottery proposals.

Casinos

The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 allowed federally recognized tribes to operate gaming facilities on tribal lands, and in Alabama, the only tribe to do so is the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. The tribe operates three Class II facilities (meaning no table games) in the eastern part of the state. They generate tax revenue for Alabama’s government. Naturally, the state sued the tribe in 2013 to close the three casinos. It took two years of litigation to finally have the suit thrown out.

The most silver of linings for Alabama residents is the state’s proximity to Mississippi. There are two different areas of note for casino gambling in Mississippi – Biloxi/Gulfport and Tunica. Over 30 casinos are spread across Alabama’s neighbor to the west, and the Biloxi locations are especially accessible to residents in the southern part of Alabama. Mobile is a short hour’s drive away.

Still, much like flowers in the desert, four facilities have managed to find a way to live in the Heart of Dixie. They are listed below.

Land-based casinos

Does Tennessee Have Gambling Casinos

State Legal Environment

If you know anything about the culture of the American South, you more than likely know of the conservative attitude that dominates the region. Though the term “conservative” can mean a host of different things, it almost always means “anti-gambling.” In Alabama, this assessment is not too far off as the number of casinos pales in comparison to many other surrounding states. With that being said, there are casino options so long as you are in one of two select locales.

Online Casinos That Accept Alabama Residents

For more information see our detailed guide to gambling online for real money in Alabama.

Alabama Brick-and-Mortar Casinos

Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Atmore
Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Wetumpka
Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Montgomery
Victoryland

Alabama Native American/Tribal Casinos

Tribal casinos are nothing more than casino establishments that exist on sovereign land owned and controlled by Native American tribes. Due to the fact that tribes existed in virtually every part of what is now the United States, there are tribal casinos in more states than there are not. Thanks to the passing of a law in the late 1980s, a particular state, even if it wanted to, would not be able to stop Native Americans from pressing on with casino endeavors.

Though the way tribal casinos exist in Alabama is a bit different from what you will find in most other states, they are still unable to be touched by state governments. In Alabama, there have been multiple attempts by the state government to, in some way, alter casino operations, but each of these attempts has come and gone with no success.

Alabama Racinos

A racino, as its name implies, is nothing more than a casino attached to a greyhound or horse track. In Alabama, the first and only racino opened its doors in the early 1980s. Unfortunately, the only things you can do at the state’s racino is participating in off-track betting and play electronic bingo. This has been the casino for more than 30 years and does not seem to be changing anytime soon considering the track is located on state-owned lands and not on tribal lands.

Alabama regulations are somewhat strict, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible for Alabama-based gamblers to find a legal and safe place to gamble. The local tribal casinos such as the Creek Casino Montgomery or Wind Creek Atmore give you an opportunity to play classic slots and table games in a live casino setting. However, it’s worth pointing out that Alabama doesn’t have any local racetracks, so pari-mutuel wagering is very limited. Alabama is also one of the few states that don’t have their own lottery, so in the end, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that many Alabama residents prefer to play their favorite games online.

Alabama Gambling Laws

According to Alabama Code Title 13A-12-20 section four, a person is considered a criminal gambler if they stake something of value in a game of chance that uses predetermined payouts on outcomes. In other words, Alabama views gambling on games of chance within state borders as illegal, including any gambling done in a home or social settings.

Although there have been no significant updates to the state-level gambling legislation since 1901, local-level changes in gambling policy have slowly started to reform patches of Alabama. Most gambling institutes technically violate the state’s archaic laws, but the businesses manage to exist legally due to various currently standing municipal and county regulations.

Does Alabama Have Gambling Casinos Real Money

Alabama Casino Game Laws

Gambling on games of chance is prohibited in Alabama territory, but in 1988, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act was enacted. It allows Native Americans to build and operate casinos on their reservation land as long as the casino remains limited to class two slot machines. Unfortunately, these regulations don’t allow for any table game gambling.

Alabama is home to three casinos known as the Wind Creek Casinos, which can be found in Montgomery, Wetumpka, and Atmore. All three are owned by the Poarch Band, a tribe of Creek Indians living in the state. Alabama recognizes eight other Native-American tribes, but only the Poarch Band may operate casinos.

Even though Alabama has been changing its stance on some gambling types, it maintains a firm position against most traditional casino games. In 2010, Alabama Governor Bob Riley campaigned against and successfully closed the Victoryland Casino in Shorter. Two years later, the Victoryland Casino was reopened after legality debates but was then raided in 2013 by the attorney general’s office. This resulted in the seizing of Victoryland’s gambling machines and its final closing.

There are no laws prohibiting Alabama citizens from crossing the Mississippi River into other states that allow a more extensive selection of table games. Players can also visit some of our recommended offshore casinos which offer secure online gambling.

Alabama Sportsbooks & Sports Betting Laws

At the time of this writing, Alabama is still in the process of voting on its sports betting laws. With the Supreme Court lifting the federal ban on sports betting, each state must now decide on how it will implement sports betting.

Although the Alabama state constitution doesn’t explicitly ban sports betting, legalizing this form of gambling would require a state constitutional amendment. The parties are divided on how sports betting would benefit the state, but there is a real possibility of sports betting being legalized soon.

There have been no statements on launching any online casino or sports betting operations.

eSports and fantasy leagues

Does Alabama Have Gambling Casinos Open

Alabama currently doesn’t differentiate between electronic sports (eSports) and regular sports betting.

Even though they aren’t considered online casinos, fantasy sports and daily fantasy sports (DFS) gambling were still banned in Alabama in 2016. Two recent attempts to get fantasy league gambling reinstated by senator Paul Sanford both ended in failure. As a result, players can’t access popular fantasy gambling services such as DraftKings and FanDuel while in the state of Alabama.

Animal racing

In 1971, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that pari-mutuel wagering on dog and horse tracks was constitutional on the grounds that dog and horse racing is not a game of pure chance, but rather a game which depends on the skill of the animal or rider. Alabama code title 11 enables cities of 300,000 inhabitants or more to determine via referendum whether they allow animal racing and gambling.

The Birmingham Race Court is the sole remaining animal racing track in Alabama, and it only supports greyhound racing and gambling.

Alabama Lottery

Alabama is one of three states that don’t allow lotteries. Unlike other types of gambling that can operate legally due to local-level legislation, the Alabama state constitution explicitly states in section 65, article four that the “legislature shall have no power to authorize lotteries.”

There have been two notable attempts to amend Alabama’s constitution to allow lotteries. In 1998, Don Siegelman was elected governor of Alabama, promising a state lottery to his voters. Unfortunately, the law changes did not get past the referendum stage. In 2015, Alabama lawmakers started work on legislation which would legalize a state lottery and casino-style gambling, but it has yet to be passed. Until the bill is ratified, players will have to rely on online casino lotteries.

Bingo

In 1980, Jefferson County ruled that bingo would be allowed on a limited charitable basis and amended the state constitution. Since then, 18 more amendments for bingo gambling have been made.

For a short period in 2003, electronic bingo was allowed within the state. Eventually, the Alabama Supreme Court decided to ban electronic bingo on the grounds that more elements of chance were involved than in standard bingo and that the potential for rigged machines was too high.

Currently, only traditional bingo gambling can be found in the three Native-American casinos.

Poker Games in Alabama

Alabama does not allow its citizens to gamble on poker or any other table games on the premise that the elements of chance overshadow player skill. Due to the wording of the Alabama state constitution, people may not legally host poker games with value stakes in their home or at work.

Players need to either look out-of-state or turn to the internet for online poker options.

Gambling History of Alabama

The history surrounding not just casinos, but gambling in general, in Alabama is fairly straightforward. For the longest time, the state did not allow any form of gambling whatsoever. Electric bingo halls existed, but their legality tended to vary depending on where you were and even these laws changed frequently. To this day, the laws surrounding electronic bingo halls remains under dispute.

As for the history of casinos specifically, the passing of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act in 1988 paved the way for the future. Unable to hold out against tribes that wanted to exercise their right to self-governance, Alabama was forced to fold and allow for the existence of Native American casinos. Though there are a few of these establishments today, it must be noted that nowhere in the state, under any circumstances, is it legal to play tables games. For this reason, even the most extravagant casinos in the state do not exactly feel like the types of casinos you will find in most other parts of the country.

The aforementioned Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 made it possible for Native American tribes across the country to operate casinos as they see fit. In essence, it added extra emphasis to the fact that Native American lands are, indeed, sovereign and able to govern themselves. Even though this Act passed in the late 1980s, Alabama did not see any real casino presence until the mid-2000s. During this time, the Poarch Creek Indians announced plans to open their first casino resort. Despite attempts by Alabama’s Attorney General to halt the project, the Department of Interior reaffirmed that the state of Alabama has no right to govern over what happens on tribal lands.

Does Alabama Have Gambling Casinos No Deposit

Despite this, the tribal casinos in the state of Alabama do not play host to any sort of table game whatsoever. There is no real reason as to why this is so, other than the presumption that perhaps the tribes are doing their best not to completely contradict Alabama law.

Does Alabama Have Gambling Casinos Winnings