A super PAC with financial ties to DraftKings and FanDuel poured more than $9.3 million into Alabama's Republican primaries last Tuesday. This is a level of outside spending the state has rarely seen from any single interest group.
Key Takeaways
- DraftKings and FanDuel-linked spending reshaped Alabama primaries.
- The PAC’s $2.2m push for Doug Harwell failed, but its broader election strategy largely succeeded.
- Gambling interests shifted from post-election lobbying to influencing which lawmakers reach the Alabama Legislature.
The American Conservative Fund backed 17 candidates across various legislative races. According to Bloomberg's analysis of Decision Desk HQ results, at least 12 of those candidates won outright.
The PAC's most expensive single investment, however, did not pay off. Former Senator Rusty Glover defeated businessman Doug Harwell in a Mobile-area Senate race despite the PAC directing more than $2.2 million toward Harwell's campaign.
The loss in that one district did little to diminish the broader picture. Alabama has spent years cycling through failed gambling proposals. A 2024 package that would have authorized a lottery, sports betting, and up to 10 casinos passed the House before the Senate stripped much of it out.
That version still fell one vote short of clearing the chamber. A 2025 attempt similarly went nowhere, with the Senate's presiding officer acknowledging a lack of support.
What changed this cycle is the approach. Rather than concentrating resources on lobbying after lawmakers are seated, the industry is putting its money into deciding who gets a seat in the first place.
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Georgia sees the same playbook, with even bigger numbers
Alabama sports betting is not the only Southern area where the industry has shifted from the lobbying hall to the campaign trail. Georgia sports betting has had the same fundamental strategy, but it is unfolding on a slightly larger scale.
Industry-aligned outside groups have directed roughly $10 million toward Georgia legislative races in the current cycle. They're targeting incumbents and candidates in both parties who have indicated support for legalizing sports wagering.
The effort comes directly on the heels of a Georgia House vote earlier this year in which lawmakers rejected a sports betting bill by a wide margin. It was the first time the chamber had formally voted on the issue after nearly a decade of debate.
The American Conservative Fund Action Georgia has assembled and largely deployed an $8 million campaign, directing funds toward a range of GOP figures, including Senate Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte, House Speaker Jon Burns, and House Appropriations Chair Matt Hatchett.
On the Democratic side, a group called American Future has spent more than $2.3 million supporting incumbents in competitive districts and several candidates in open-seat contests.
Both committees trace their funding back to Win for America, a super PAC with financial backing from major platforms including DraftKings, FanDuel, Fanatics, and bet365. The same entity is also reported to be targeting Texas, another large state where sports betting remains off the books.
Georgia law prohibits candidates from coordinating with outside spenders. Several of the supported lawmakers stated publicly that they had no advance knowledge that the money was coming. The spending nonetheless makes the industry one of the dominant outside forces in Georgia's 2026 legislative cycle.
