It’s not great news for sports bettors in Alabama. As it currently stands sports betting is illegal and unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a huge push to move towards it any time soon.
AL Online Sports Betting
If sports betting is going to get its big break in Alabama, this is likely going to be via the route of online betting. We know that AL horse racing is legal online and therefore we think that in time, sports betting could open up.
One of the ways that organizations are trying to get a foot in the door to legalize Alabama sports betting is by trying get the state to accept simple betting features, such as the lottery. This would be seen to start small and therefore help them realize the money that can be made and that it can run safely.
So far, the state of Alabama has been reluctant. However, as we mentioned, the fact that horse racing is legal, both online and at the track, means that there is a chance. Although, this is likely someway down the line.
Another ray of light for online sports betting in the state is that a ruling was passed in 2019 to allow daily fantasy sports contests. This doesn’t have the same sort of lure as online gambling, but then it has to be regarded as another positive step.
Given how stringent the state has been about gambling, and that other states have daily sports banned, makes this a good sign.
AL Sports Betting Rules
The rules are pretty simple in that Alabama sports betting is illegal. The law states that it cannot be hosted in AL nor can it be utilized within AL.
In fact, law enforcement is active in weekly raids across the state that are targeting illegal online betting setups. These range in terms of the nature of the offense but can include anything from bingo machines to that of computer software and servers.
One of the biggest stumbling blocks that Alabama has is that it’s a highly religious area. Gambling does not sit well with locals’ beliefs and even though there are retail casinos within the state, they tend to “keep themselves to themselves” and have no AL online casinos either.
Many people who are trying to get bills passed within Alabama argue that this is double standards. The fact of the matter is that the state knows they can control isolated casinos, whereas with online sports betting, it’s much harder to police.
The fear then is that people within the state, especially those with deep religious beliefs, will leave. They also believe that if this happens, the extra money generated from online gambling will not offset the fallout from local communities.
AL Sportsbooks Apps
As with online betting, mobile betting is also not permitted. This means there are no dedicated apps. However, there are two sports betting apps available for daily fantasy sports that come in the form of FanDuel and DraftKings.
The sports betting apps can be downloaded within the state boundaries and then full access can be obtained to each. Whilst people in Alabama are limited to these two apps, they are, between them, the best two daily fantasy apps on the market right now.
