Ivey study group: $700 million in revenue, 19,000 new jobs if gambling expanded decaturdaily.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from decaturdaily.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Legalized gambling in Alabama could bring up to $700 million into state coffers annually and create as many as 19,000 new jobs, according to a report released by a gubernatorial committee on Friday.
The Study Group on Gambling, formed by Gov. Kay Ivey earlier this year as legislators appeared ready to tackle the issue, did not make specific recommendations on the issue and acknowledged there could be social costs to gambling.
But former Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange, the chair of the group, said at a press conference on the State Capitol steps that the group concluded the state could absorb the costs.
Study: Gambling could mean $700M, 19,000 jobs for Alabama cullmantimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from cullmantimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Most forms of gambling are illegal in Alabama, even though they are allowed in most other states.
But some gambling does exist in Alabama. That includes pari-mutuel dog and horse race wagering in four counties, charity bingo in 16 counties, bingo on three tracts of land taken into trust by the federal government for the federally-recognized Poarch Creek Indians and betting on fantasy sports statewide.
Gambling issues have been litigated in Alabama courts for decades, and policymakers have attempted to change gambling laws for years. While some changes can be made by the Alabama Legislature, meaningful change would require a vote of the people to approve a constitutional amendment.
Study: Gambling could mean $700M, 19,000 jobs for Alabama
December 18, 2020 GMT
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) Legalizing gambling in Alabama could create about 19,000 jobs and pump roughly $700 million in new revenues into state government, a study group appointed by Gov. Kay Ivey reported Friday.
The committee, created earlier this year to examine a perennial topic at the Statehouse, also said social costs could result from expanding gambling and did not make specific policy suggestions, news outlets reported.
The almost 900-page report will become another piece of evidence as Alabama one of only five states without a lottery considers whether to allow additional gambling.