Alabama could legalise sports betting soon

State Rep. Paul Lee forecasted the Legislature will consider legalising the segment in the 2019 session.

US.- Sports betting continues to expand in the US and Alabama could soon discuss the segment’s legalisation, at least that’s what State Rep. Paul Lee thinks. He forecasted the state Legislature will probably consider a bill during the 2019 session but said it is highly unlikely that it will pass in the short term.

Rep. Lee suggested that there will probably be a debate around the subject but considered its passage “a long shot” as he believes “Alabama needs to be pushing industrial recruitment, supporting small business, and creating high-paying jobs instead of looking at gambling to solve financial woes.”

In addition to Rep. Lee’s opposition to sports gambling as a financial solution, Rep. Rich Wingo, a former player for NFL’s Green Bay Packers said the segment will compromise sports integrity: “College sports are going to eventually be compromised and people are going to wonder if that kid missed that field goal on purpose or dropped that catch on purpose,” Wingo said.

Recently, the two gubernatorial candidates (the Republican governor, Kay Ivey, and her Democratic rival, Walt Maddox) said voters should decide whether a sports lottery is created or not.