Last Updated May 4, 2022, 02:13 PM ET
Alabama sports betting is not legal. Recently, there has been a concerted effort to legalize event wagering, but nothing has come to pass. Between 2019 and 2021, there were four bills pitched to legalize sports betting in the Heart of Dixie.
In 2021, the state considered legalizing online sports betting but decided not to vote on SB 319. With no legislation ticketed for the November 2022 ballot, Alabama is unlikely to see sports betting arrive before 2024.
Our guide to Alabama sports betting will help you keep up with all the latest legal news and betting updates.
The effort to legalize Alabama sports betting is already underway in 2022. With the Senate passing several legislative measures in the past, it seems the House will decide the fate of sports betting. If a bill is submitted again, Senate President Pro Tem Greg Reed expects it will receive "serious consideration" by the House later this year.
Here's the recent timeline to legalize Alabama sports betting:
March 9, 2022: Alabama’s Senate Tourism Committee pushes two bills — SB 293 and SB 294 — forward that combined would legalize a state lottery and statewide mobile sports wagering tied to tribal casinos. The bills now head to the full Senate.
Feb. 24, 2022: State Representative John Rogers introduces HB405, a bill that would legalize sports betting only in Jefferson County.
Jan. 11, 2022: Rep. Ralph Howard (D) introduces HB 72 to amend the constitution and establish a state lottery.
Jan. 5, 2022: The Alabama Track Owners Association runs an ad campaign imploring Alabama lawmakers to pass a constitutional amendment and permit voters to decide whether or not a lottery and casinos should be allowed to operate in Alabama.
May 17, 2021: The House ends its legislative session without voting on SB 319.
Mar. 9, 2021: SB 319 and SB 310 are introduced in the Senate. Both bills aim to legalize sports betting and online casino games. SB 319 and SB 310 pass the Senate but are stopped at the House.
Feb. 27, 2020: HB 336 is introduced to issue legal sports betting licenses. The proposed legislation would have allowed existing gambling venues to offer in-person, online, and mobile sports betting. HB 336 ultimately fails to receive approval.
May 31, 2019: Alabama daily fantasy sports is legalized as Gov. Kay Ivey signs HB 361 into law.
April 2, 2019: Bill HB 315 attempts to legalize Alabama sports betting but is not passed in the Senate or the House of Representatives.
No one can bet on sports in Alabama in 2022. However, recent proposals to legalize event wagering have called for online and mobile sports betting.
Here's everything you need to know about sports betting in Alabama:
Legal ageThe legal age for Alabama gambling in its three tribal casinos is 18 years old. Sports betting may have the same age requirement depending on legislation.
Mobile bettingThere are no immediate plans for mobile or online sports betting in Alabama. If the most recent bill is reintroduced and passed, the Alabama Gaming Commission would regulate in-person and mobile betting for the state.
Remote registrationIf mobile sports betting comes to Alabama, expect remote registration to follow. Bettors will be able to register, make deposits, and place wagers from anywhere in the state.
Within state bordersIf approved, Alabama online sports betting will only be legal within state lines. Wagers with Alabama sportsbooks won't be allowed from other states.
Retail sportsbooksAlabama does not have legal retail sportsbooks. Wind Creek Atmore, Wind Creek Montgomery, and Wind Creek Wetumpka could open a sportsbook when sports betting becomes legal. One of the existing, inactive race tracks could also offer live sports betting.
Taxable winningsAll gambling winnings are taxed as personal income in Alabama. The individual taxable rate is 2% for the first $500 of income. This increases to 4% for the next $2,500 of income and peaks at 5% for all taxable income over $3,000.
Alabama sports bettors can take a short drive to Tennessee to place legal online and mobile sports bets. Alabama bettors can register a sportsbook account, make deposits, and place bets from anywhere in Tennessee. AL sports gamblers can then withdraw funds from a TN sportsbook account after getting home.
In-person wagering can take place in another nearby state. Alabama sports bettors can visit Mississippi casinos to place sports bets at properties with brick-and-mortar sportsbooks.
Unfortunately, another nearby state no longer offers online and mobile sports betting. Shortly after becoming legal, a federal judge ruled that Florida's sports betting compact violated the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) just weeks after being approved locally.
There appears to be significant interest in pushing a sports betting bill past the finish line in Alabama. With several neighboring states taking the plunge, it seems as if it's only a matter of time before Alabama is taking legal sports wagers.
Unfortunately, time is not on Alabama's side in 2022. In an election year, lawmakers in favor of sports betting face an uphill battle.
Alabama sports betting is illegalLegalization unlikely before 2024Several hurdles to overcome as the House prioritizes non-gambling measuresAlabama gambling is already legal inside of a few casinos. While various proposals to legalize online and mobile sports betting have been presented, none have become law.
Finding a sportsbook with fair odds and adequate promotions is essential. Line shopping allows bettors to identify the absolute best betting opportunities.
Opening an online sports betting account that makes withdrawing funds easy is also critical. There's no reason a player shouldn't be able to access their winnings within a reasonable timeframe.
Registering online is more convenient than visiting a retail sportsbook inside a casino to open an account. Opening an online sportsbook account usually takes only a few minutes, provided the player has legal ID and funding information nearby.
Bonuses have become crucial parts of opening an online sportsbook account. Make sure to find the best rewards when signing up. Keep an eye open for bonuses available to all users once registered for an online sportsbook account. Risk-free bets and deposit match bonuses are the most common welcome offers.
Legal online sportsbooks in the U.S. offer a variety of ways to deposit funds. Players can use credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, e-checks, and more to start betting on sports.
All states have different legal wagering options. Since legislation for Alabama hasn't been made official, there's no telling which types and sports might not be available to Alabama sports bettors.
If nothing else, any online sportsbook will offer the most popular types of wagers such as point spreads, Over/Unders (totals), moneylines, futures, and live betting.
After registering and funding an online sportsbook account, it's time to start betting. The process is reasonably straightforward when betting on sports online and via mobile.
Find the event to wager on, choose the side or total, input an amount to wager, and submit your picks.
Unfortunately, withdrawing funds is not as quick as depositing money in an online sportsbook account. Even though withdrawals may take some time, the process is simple and only involves a few clicks.
Legal U.S. sportsbooks use American odds. With American odds, favorites are noted by a minus (-) sign. Underdogs have larger payouts and a plus (+) symbol before the number.
A favorite winning pays less than the underdog, which is shown in the moneyline. For example, sports bettors wagering on a -150 favorite will have to risk $150 to win $100. Conversely, gamblers picking an +150 underdog would win $150 for a $100 wager.
Notably, futures betting options often (not always) have a '+' before the number.
If you prefer to view odds as decimals or fractions, head over to our odds converter. There, you can see odds displayed as American, decimal, and fractional odds.
Alabama sports bettors can't bet on anything legally inside of state lines until sports betting becomes legal. The legislation will dictate which sports and types of wagers will be permitted in Alabama.
No state in the U.S. allows betting on politics, and unless this changes nationally, Alabama will not offer legal betting on politics.
Popular awards shows like the Emmys and Acadamy Awards attract lots of betting attention. Alabama could legalize this type of wager when mobile betting arrives.
There has not been any esports betting language introduced in Alabama, but this could change in future sports betting proposals.
At this time, nobody can legally wager on college sports in Alabama. Betting on college sports has been a point of contention across the country. While some states do not allow betting on any college sports, others allow wagering on a variety of college athletics. College sports betting would be a major win for Alabamians.
Many Alabama sports fans will look to wager on their alma mater or favorite college teams. While gambling on your favorite teams is fun, it's always best to bet with the head and not with the heart.
Taking the emotion out of sports betting is strongly recommended. Manage your bankroll to experience the fun of betting on your favorite teams responsibly. Our how to bet guides are a great place to start.
Alabama is a fairly conservative state with limited gambling options. There are a few casinos but no other gambling venues like horse racing tracks. Alabama is one of five states without a lottery of any kind, and online gambling — aside from horse race betting — is still illegal.
CasinoThere are three casinos in Alabama owned and operated by the Poarch Creek Indians in different parts of the state. Wind Creek Atmore, Wind Creek Montgomery, and Wind Creek Wetumpka offer a variety of gaming and other activities. Each of the casinos has a variety of slot machines of all denominations. The properties also have a hotel, restaurants, a spa, entertainment, and other amenities.
Birmingham Race Course and Casino offers slot machines and simulcast horse racing for pari-mutuel wagering.
PokerNeither live nor online poker is legal in Alabama. Poker players can head south to Florida to play in a poker room or west to a casino in Mississippi.
Horse racingHorse racing is legal in Alabama, but there are no active race tracks. Horse bettors can visit Birmingham Race Course and Casino to watch and wager on simulcast races from other tracks or get in on the action online with the best horse racing betting sites.
Daily fantasy sportsAlabama legalized daily fantasy sports in 2019. Both FanDuel and DraftKings are available to DFS players.
In comparison to other states, there isn’t much gambling available in Alabama. However, the state has a few options for those who are concerned they may have pushed their limits a bit too far.
These resources will be useful when sports betting becomes legal in Alabama. Emotions from sports fandom and gambling can become too much for some. Having someone to speak with is especially important for sports bettors.
Concerned residents in Alabama can refer to the National Problem Gambling Helpline or the local Alabama Council on Compulsive Gambling. Residents can also reach out to the Alabama Department of Public Health.
Visit Alabama Council on Compulsive GamblingWhen Alabama legalizes sports betting, it will join the following states:
We strongly recommend avoiding unregulated sports betting sites in Alabama. These websites may pose as legitimate sportsbooks, but remember, until Alabama officially legalizes sports betting, it is illegal to wager with offshore sportsbooks.
No, sports betting is not legal in Alabama. Several recent pushes to legalize sports betting have failed to gain traction.
In 2022, there is no way to bet on sports in Alabama legally. Neither online nor in-person wagering is legal in the Heart of Dixie.
No, legal sports betting apps are not available in Alabama. The only legal type of wagering is horse race betting.
There is no definitive timeline to refer to in the case of Alabama legalizing sports betting. However, with no measure on the November 2022 ballot, AL won’t see online sports betting arrive until 2024, at the earliest.
Pari-mutuel wagering is reserved for Alabama bettors 18 and older.
Yes, you can partake in DFS contests in Alabama. The DraftKings sportsbook is unavailable in Alabama, however.
If you want to bet on sports, you’ll have to venture beyond Alabama state lines. Mississippi and Tennessee offer Alabamians nearby sports betting.
We’re not sure if you’ll be permitted to wager on Alabama college athletics when legal sports betting launches.
No, but you must be physically present in Alabama to bet on horse races.
Jeff Watters is a content editor at Covers. Before he began supporting Covers experts in making smarter sports bettors in 2021, the well-traveled Nova Scotian and Atlanta Braves fanatic spent time writing about education, software, and NHL prospects.
Established in 1995,
