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Alabama House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter says gambling could return to the state legislative agenda in 2027, reopening a debate that could eventually touch a lottery, casino expansion, and sports betting.
According to _The Lines_, Ledbetter suggested the issue could come back during the 2027 session as Alabama prepares for its next governor’s race. The state remains one of five without a statewide lottery, and its only legal gambling is at tribal casinos near Montgomery and Mobile.
Those casinos are operated by the Creek tribe, which does not have a compact with Alabama. The source article says that means the state does not receive wagering revenue from those properties.
Any broader legalization effort would still face a high bar. The article says Alabama would need a legislative amendment and then voter approval to change statewide gambling law.
The political backdrop could matter. Ledbetter said he would be working with Republican gubernatorial candidate Tommy Tuberville on a potential agenda. Democratic candidate Doug Jones, meanwhile, has favored legal gambling measures, including a state lottery, according to the source report.
The timing is also unresolved. Alabama’s next scheduled election is in November 2028, but _The Lines_ reported that a special election could be called if lawmakers decide to move a gambling amendment sooner.
The report also noted growing attention on prediction markets, naming Kalshi and Polymarket, and said they are part of the broader conversation around legal wagering in Alabama.
For now, the main takeaway is that Alabama is not changing its gambling laws yet. What has changed is that a top state lawmaker is again signaling the issue could return in 2027. Key questions are whether lawmakers will actually advance an amendment, what forms of gambling would be included, and whether voters would get the issue before 2028.
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Source: As reported by Dan Angell.
