A big potential change
Alabamians are once again pushing for a state lottery and legal sports betting, while the decision to adjourn the special legislative session in Florida means that those in favor of introducing commercial casinos or sportsbooks can breathe a temporary sigh of relief.
end the ability for citizens to initiate a constitutional ballot measure
One of the bills under discussion during the Sunshine State’s special session would end the possibility for citizens to initiate a constitutional ballot measure by collecting a certain number of petition signatures.
This approach was used to legalize sports betting in Missouri after a successful public vote in November followed the signature-gathering campaign which attracted about $41m in donations from DraftKings and FanDuel.
Still hope for commercial operators
Passage of the ballot measure bill would make it even more unlikely that commercial gambling would come to the state due to the government’s controversial 30-year compact with the Seminole Tribe.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis backs the proposal because he believes it helps prevent out-of-state interests from changing Florida laws. While the special legislative session is over, the bill could be up for discussion when the normal session commences in March.
Significant push in Alabama
Alabama is one of just five US states without a lottery, as prior attempts to introduce one fell short. Ahead of the new legislative session next week, pro-lottery social media ads have been running.
These messages claim that Alabama has never been closer to getting a lottery and that it would benefit from the tax revenue that neighboring states are currently enjoying as people go across state lines to buy tickets.
suggests that annual tax revenue from the activity could reach $90m
The Sports Betting Alliance is also running a campaign to promote legal sports betting. It suggests that annual tax revenue from the activity could reach $90m and a regulated sector would protect people from predatory offshore sites.
