Alabama Gambling Laws – Legal Situation
AL is one of the first states in the south to have gambling emerge. That’s why we have created this overview of the Alabama gambling laws. We will be going over each type of gambling in the state and what its legal status is. You can also find information about each activity, its history and what the legal gambling age is. Bear in mind that the gambling laws in Alabama are quite harsh, and there are strict regulations applied to them.
Gambling Laws in Alabama – What Is Allowed
As we have mentioned earlier, the Alabama gambling laws are stricter when compared to other states in the USA. Let’s start by talking about the legal situation around land-based casinos. According to the Alabama gambling law, casino games are illegal. Fortunately, there is an exception made for the three casinos run by The Poarch Band of Creek Indians tribe.
The same goes for poker and lottery, as they are strictly illegal in the state as well. The main gambling attractions that AL citizens can enjoy are horse races, which are legal and supported by the state government. Check out the table below for more details on which type of AL gambling activity is legal.
| Alabama Gambling Type | Legal Status |
|---|---|
| Land-Based Casinos | Illegal* |
| Sports Betting | Restricted |
| Poker | Illegal |
| Horse Races | Legal |
| Lottery | Illegal |
| Bingo | Restricted |
| Social Gambling | Restricted |
| Charitable Gambling | Restricted |
*Exception are the three casinos run by The Poarch Band of Creek Indians tribe.
Of course, as you can see, there are more activities that you can partake in gambling with, but we have classified them as restricted. That is because these events are kept strictly in check by the Alabama gambling regulation authority. They are also being monitored by the multi-state American Gaming Association. If you are looking for a state that has laxer laws, then we can recommend checking out our gambling in Pennsylvania overview.
Gambling Law on Land-Based and Online Casinos
The gambling laws in Alabama are quite severe when it comes to land-based casinos. At the time of writing this article, there are no commercial casinos that operate legally in Alabama. Of course, as we mentioned earlier, there is an exception to this rule.
There are three casinos on the territory of the state, which are run and owned by The Poarch Band of Creek Indians tribe. Outside of these establishments all casino games, such as poker, craps, slots, roulette and more, are illegal. Any breaking of this Alabama gambling law is a Class A misdemeanour. This will cost you a fine of at least $6,000 and up to a year in jail.
On the other hand, online casino gambling is another story. There is no Alabama gambling regulation that states online casinos as either legal or illegal. This means that the online gaming market is still considered as a grey area at the time of us creating this article. You can participate in any game that is offered on an online casino.
One thing you need to be sure of though that any operator you choose has been licensed and regulated by the government. This will ensure your safety while gambling there. There are no specific Alabama online casinos to talk of. That’s why we can recommend that you check out our top US online casino sites and take your pick.
Gambling Regulation on Sports Betting in AL
Moving on with our overview of the Alabama gambling laws, let’s talk about sports betting. One of the main activities that AL punters can place their bets on are horse and hound races. Horse racing is legal in Alabama cities that have more than 300,000 inhabitants that have made a vote to legalize it. While there are no tracks for horse racing in the state, citizens do remote gambling either online or through kiosks.
Hound racing is legal as well and, same as the previous type, it is allowed in cities that have more than 300,000 people that have voted for it. At the time of writing this article, there are two dog racing tracks, which are located in Birmingham and Mobile. There, you can participate in pari-mutuel betting.
Sports betting is also allowed, but it is heavily restricted by the gambling laws in Alabama and the Birmingham Racing Commission. The two establishments also have different age requirements, but we will cover that later in our section about the Alabama gambling age. All other forms of sports betting are currently illegal in Alabama.
Lottery and Bingo in Alabama
Lottery and bingo are the main alternatives for gamblers that are not interested in racing, sports or even casino games. Unfortunately, according to Alabama gambling laws, lottery is illegal at the time of writing this article. Don’t lose hope, though, as attempts are being made for its legalization. That leaves Alabama gamblers with only one option.
Bingo is legal in the state of Alabama, but only as a charitable game. The regulations state that all of the money needs to go to charity, except for the funds going towards expenses. Also, any type of social gambling that does not make a profit for the player or the host is legal in Alabama as well. So a friendly game of poker between friends is okay with the government.
History of Alabama Gambling Laws
Gambling in Alabama finds its roots more than 100 years in the past. It’s a long and complicated history of laws and regulations in the state. All commercial casinos are closed and deemed illegal. On top of that, there is a lawsuit against the tribe-owned establishments at the time of writing this overview as well. Below, you will see what we consider to be the main events in the history of Alabama gambling laws.
- 1901 – Gambling is considered prohibited by The Constitution of the State of Alabama.
- 1971 – The Alabama Sup Court rules in favour of pari-mutuel betting at horse and dog racing tracks.
- 1980 – Charitable bingo games are now legal.
- 1988 – The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act allows land-based casinos to be built and operated by Native American tribes on their land.
More events have transpired, but the ones we have listed are what we consider being the most noteworthy. During the years, electronic bingo was for a time held in some facilities, but later, banned as it is considered illegal gambling. There was also Victory Land Casino in Shorter, which was closed, then re-opened and closed again after having hundreds of gambling machines seized by authorities.
Alabama Gambling Age Law
When it comes to regulations about when a person can partake in gambling in the US, it can get confusing. Depending on the state, the requirements can widely vary from activity to activity. In the table below, we would like to showcase the legal Alabama gambling age for each type of activity that is either legal or with heavy restrictions by the government.
| Type of Gambling | Legal Age |
|---|---|
| Casino Gambling* | 21 |
| Pari-Mutuel Betting (Birmingham, AL) | 18 |
| Pari-Mutuel Betting (Rest of Alabama) | 19 |
| Bingo | 21 |
| Social Gambling | 21 |
| Charitable Gambling | 21 |
*Casino gambling is available only in the three tribal-run establishments in the state.
As you can see, the Alabama gambling age requirements are very strict, where for almost every type, you need to be 21 years old. That is the highest age requirement that a state can place for gambling. The only exceptions in Alabama are pari-mutuel betting on dog races. Only in the city of Birmingham, you are allowed to place wagers on hound races at the age of 18. For the rest of the establishments, you will need to be at least 19 years old to participate.
Alabama State Gambling Laws – Final Thoughts
Well, our Alabama gambling laws overview is coming to an end, and we would like to give you a short summary. The state of Alabama has very strict laws when it comes to gambling activities. As we mentioned, land-based casinos are considered illegal at the time of us writing this article. The only exception is the three tribe-owned establishments. On the other hand, online casinos are not considered illegal according to the gambling laws in Alabama, so you can enjoy them.
Sports betting is considered illegal but with exceptions. You can make pari-mutuel wagers on horse and dog races. You can also participate in charitable games and social gambling that do not bring a profit to the player or host. The Alabama gambling age can vary between 18 and 21 years old, depending on the activity. Of course, things can change so in order to stay up to date with all the changes concerning the Alabama gambling law, make sure to visit this page regularly.
FAQ About the Alabama Gambling Regulation
In this section, you can find the most popular queries that Alabama gamblers have towards the laws and regulations of the state. We have hand-picked the most notable questions and have paired them with the appropriate answers for your convenience.
