An Alabama casino gambling bill narrowly passed through committee week that is last giving the legislation the chance 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 built to help produce new revenue for 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 Casinos

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

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

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

‘This is a large bit of legislation, a very piece that is controversial’ Marsh said at a general public hearing in the bill held Tuesday. ‘But I think it’s an option that will be put there as an alternative to simply help take to to resolve some associated with the spending plan problems in this state.’

Many Miss Electronic Bingo Casinos

During those hearings, there was impassioned testimony from all sides of this problem. Many individuals spoke 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,’ stated Macon County hardware shop owner Brent Thomas, who said that his area have been hurt tremendously by the closure associated with the VictoryLand bingo casino.

Meanwhile, others argued against any video gaming expansion, saying that all the money that the continuing state made from the games would be coming from the poor.

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

Indigenous American Casinos Active in State

Still others remarked that there had been gaming in the continuing state, due to the fact Poarch Band of Creek Indians currently operate three casinos with electronic bingo machines in Alabama.

That, Marsh said, suggested the choice wasn’t between having gambling or otherwise not, but rather whether the state would gather revenue from the gambling that was occurring.

As for the Poarch Band, they say that the bill that is newn’t contain sufficient rules about exactly what would be allowed at the race tracks where gambling would be allowed, which may keep loopholes that operators will attempt to exploit.

‘It’s like handing your teenager a credit card without any rules attached and then being surprised when a bill is got by you that looks like the Alabama budget deficit,’ said Robert McGhee, treasurer of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians Tribal Council. ‘It’s a backwards thinking that opens the door to practices that are potentially irresponsible is hard to rein in after the fact.’

The bill would enable for casino gambling at battle 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.

So as to approve a noticeable change to their state constitution to permit for gambling, three-fifths of the legislature would have to back the bill, as would a bulk of voters in a state referendum.