Tuberville says any Alabama gambling bill needs a single plan

Alabama residents would see a single, complete gambling proposal put to them for a vote under the approach U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville described this week. He said he would not block such a plan, and he would not campaign for one that is assembled piece by piece. "I'm not going to stand in the way of it, but I'm not going to go out there and promote it unless we get a a complete overlook of how we want to do it from day one, not just roll the dice and do piece by piece," Tuberville said.

Tuberville, the Republican nominee for Alabama Governor, discussed the issue on Alabama Public Television's "Capitol Journal." He said the governor's office should oversee how the proposal is put together. He compared the process to medical marijuana in the state: "you've seen what's happened with the medical marijuana; been a total disaster." Lawsuits over the licensing process kept product off shelves for more than four years.

The Alabama House passed a package in 2024 that included a lottery, casinos and sports betting. The Senate reduced it to a lottery and limited electronic gaming. That compromise failed in the Senate by one vote, short of the 21 needed. State Sen. Greg Albritton (R-Atmore) introduced a comprehensive bill in 2025. Senate President Pro Tem Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman) rejected it within days, calling it "too little, too late" with "too few votes to pass." No lawmaker attempted a bill in 2026.

Tuberville said he does not gamble and that either outcome would be fine for him personally. "But I want to do what the people of Alabama want to do," he said. "Let's put it out there and see if the people want to vote for it." He said a complete proposal would take about a year to assemble.

No referendum date has been set. Tuberville said a measure would go on a ballot only after officials agree on the full contents of the package, from the governor's office through the legislature. "Okay, let's put it all together. Let's do it right," he said. "Let's don't have to go back and change this or that."