By Marla Jones, Managing Editor • marla@southerntorch.com

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — On Tuesday night, the Alabama Senate passed a constitutional amendment (SB319) to establish a state lottery and allow nine casinos by a vote of 23-9. The amendment will now move to the Alabama House of Representatives. 

If approved, casinos would be located in DeKalb or Jackson counties, Greene County, Houston County, Jefferson County, Macon County, Mobile County along with three sites owned by the Porch Band of Creek Indians. In addition, the bill would create the Alabama Gambling Commission to oversee and issue licenses for casinos through a bidding process and allow sports betting.

Sen. Jim McClendon, a Republican from Springville, initially proposed the constitutional amendment last month, but it failed to move forward until earlier this week.

In a recent interview with Southern Torch, State Senator Steve Livingston said that if the bill passed, the money allocated should be put into the educational fund, scholarships, and the general fund. Livingston also stated he would like to see an increase in mental health funding. 

Livingston concluded that if passed, the state grocery tax should be reduced. Alabama is one of three states, joining Mississippi and South Dakota, to fully tax sales of groceries. Combining the state’s 4% sales tax with local taxes, the total tax rate can be in excess of 10% in some areas of the State of Alabama. 

Forty-five out of fifty U.S. states currently have lotteries, with Alabama among the five that do not have any sort of statewide gambling. A study commissioned by Governor Kay Ivey (R-Ala.) found that the state of Alabama could gain up to $700 million per year from a lottery, casinos, and sports betting.

If the amendment receives legislative approval, Alabama voters will make the final decision on the November 2022 general election ballot.