An Alabama casino gambling bill narrowly passed through committee the other day, providing the legislation the opportunity to be heard by the full State Senate.

The bill, known as SB 453, passed through the Tourism and Marketing Committee by a five to three vote on Thursday.

The bill is made to help produce revenue that is new the state in two ways.

First, it might develop a state lottery that could be regulated by the Alabama Lottery and Gaming Commission.

Bill Would Allow for Four Gambling Enterprises

Perhaps more dramatically, that commission would also be charged with overseeing the introduction of casino gambling in the state.

Such operations is allowed at four horse racing tracks through the state, the first time casino games like slots, blackjack, and other table games will be permitted within the state.

The bill, which would amend hawaii constitution, had been introduced earlier this month by Senate President Del Marsh (R-Anniston). He said that with all the state needing an influx of revenue, he would rather see that money come through legalized gambling than via a income tax increase.

‘This is a big little bit of legislation, a very controversial piece,’ Marsh said at a public hearing in the bill held Tuesday. ‘But I think it is an alternative that will be put here as a choice to help try to fix some of this budget problems in this state.’

Many Miss Electronic Bingo Casinos

During those hearings, there was impassioned testimony from all relative sides of the issue. Many people talked of attempting to see the return of video gaming to facilities that once had it, before alleged electronic bingo casinos were closed down in the state following an Alabama Supreme Court ruling last year.

‘I’ve seen good hardworking individuals doing without, getting close to hungry,’ said Macon County hardware store owner Brent Thomas, who said that his area was in fact hurt tremendously by the closure associated with the VictoryLand bingo casino.

Meanwhile, others argued against any gaming expansion, stating that the majority of the money that the state made through the games would be coming from the indegent.

‘It is a tax,’ stated Joe Godfrey, executive director regarding the Alabama Citizens Action Project. ‘It’s a tax on the poor. It preys on the people who can least afford to pay it.’

Indigenous American Casinos Active in State

Still others remarked that there had been gaming in the state, while the Poarch Band of Creek Indians already operate three casinos with electronic bingo machines in Alabama.

That, Marsh said, designed the decision ended up beingn’t between having gambling or perhaps not, but rather whether the state would collect revenue from the gambling that was occurring.

When it comes to Poarch Band, they do say that the brand new bill doesn’t contain sufficient guidelines about what would be allowed at the race songs where gambling would be allowed, which may leave loopholes that operators will attempt to exploit.

‘It’s like handing your teenager a bank card with no rules attached and then being astonished when you have a bill that looks like the Alabama budget deficit,’ said Robert McGhee, treasurer for the Poarch Band of Creek Indians Tribal Council. ‘It’s a backwards thinking that opens the door to potentially irresponsible practices that will be hard to rein in after the fact.’

The bill would allow for casino gambling at competition songs in Birmingham, Macon, Mobile and Greene County. Proponents say that gambling expansion could create over $400 million in new income and 11,000 jobs for their state.

In an effort to approve a noticeable modification to hawaii constitution allowing for gambling, three-fifths of the legislature will have to back the bill, as would a majority of voters in a state referendum.