Alabama Bill Would Elevate Gambling Convictions to Felonies
Alabama is among the most limited states when it comes to gambling. The Cotton State has no commercial casinos or racinos, iGaming, sports betting, or even a state-run lottery. New legislation would implement harsher penalties for those who don’t abide by the restrictive gambling rules.
State Rep. Matthew Hammett (R-Covington) last week introduced House Bill 41. The statute seeks to increase penalties associated with various gambling-related crimes.
The measure would specify that electronic bingo games and so-called skill games, as well as historical horse racing (HHR) machines and video lottery terminals, are illegal under the Alabama Code.
Penalties for a person knowingly profiting from illegal gambling would be raised from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class C felony, the latter of which is punishable by one to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $15K. The current punishment schedule as a misdemeanor subjects those found guilty of gambling crimes with up to a year behind bars and a $6,000 fine.
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