Alabama still has no legal sports betting, commercial casinos or state lottery. However, political funding and continued House support could return gambling reform to the legislature within four years.
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DraftKings and FanDuel put money into Alabama elections before another gambling proposal reached the legislature.
The American Conservative Fund spent more than $9.3 million supporting Republican primary candidates in May. Reports linked the political action committee to 17 races, with 12 backed candidates winning.
Rather than promoting one bill, the spending targeted the makeup of the next legislature. That approach could give Alabama sports betting and casino supporters a stronger base when negotiations restart.
House and Senate leaders remain divided. The House has favored a competitive commercial market, while the Senate has supported a narrower plan linked more closely to the Poarch Band of Creek Indians.
Rep. Chris Blackshear later confirmed that no active proposal was under development. He told Alabama Public Television program “Capitol Journal” that lawmakers were not “working on anything.”
Still, Blackshear said the conversation must happen during the next four years. He pointed to illegal gambling already available across Alabama and the tax revenue that the state does not collect.
Bills failed in both 2025 and 2026. Yet the election spending suggests gambling companies now see candidate selection as part of the legalization effort, not just lobbying after lawmakers take office.