Alabama Online Sports Betting

Sports betting is illegal in Alabama (online or land-based) and it has some way to go before being introduced or the state develops a sports wagering industry with something approaching the advanced NJ online sports betting sites.

A sports betting bill was introduced in April 2019, however, HB 315 stalled and debate on the replacement sports betting legalization bill HB 336 was postponed in March 2020 due to global pandemic. Look for the latest bill to rescheduled when legislators potentially return to action in 2021.

With no Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) or even a lottery, it could be some time before placing a sports wager in Alabama becomes a reality.

That said, the good news is that things are changing rapidly across the United States, and many states where online sports betting was once considered impossible and now giving it consideration.

Alabama, perhaps more than any Bible Belt state, has long recoiled over the notion of legalized gambling of any kind, and as such sports betting is still illegal in the state.

Consequently, since May 2018, there has been plenty of doubters coming forward on whether Alabama can progress with legal sports gambling even after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a 26-year-old federal ban against sports betting outside of Nevada.

Fantasy sports in Alabama is also a non-starter. The state is one of nine that prohibits DFS.

The good news is that legislative pressure has been mounting in recent years to chip away at the anti-gambling forces that have long dominated the State Government power structure.

Two of Alabama’s neighboring states, Mississippi and Tennessee, have legalized sports betting, and another, Georgia, made an attempt to pass online sports betting in 2020.

With Alabama’s neighbours legislating for sports betting, the state’s lawmakers will eventually be looking want to find a way to keep those tax dollars from leaving the state and re-examine legal sports betting.

The State of Alabama doesn’t have any specific laws that prohibit placing bets on sporting events, although it is illegal to be a bookmaker in Alabama. Therefore, all sports betting (if any – read horse and greyhound racing only) in Alabama must be done online, until further legislation passes.

In Alabama, having bookmaking records or gambling records is considered a Class A misdemeanor.

As a result, with Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) also having been deemed illegal in Alabama since 2016, Horse Racing and Greyhound Racing Betting are the only sports betting possibilities in the State.

In the Federal judiciary system, lawmakers have declared that Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) are exempt from any Federal sports betting bans, as they have legally determined DFS to be contest of skill, rather than a gambling game of random chance.

Things differ with DFS laws at the State level in Alabama. In Alabama, since 2016, DFS participation has been considered to be a form of gambling, which the state bans. Legislation will be required to be passed before a return of DFS sites in the state of Alabama. As DFS is a 100% online activity, legislation may also be required to allow DFS sites in the state.

As a result, DFS sites are not legal to operate or to hold DFS contests in the state of Alabama, for its residents, or even visitors to the Yellowhammer state.

With the exception of greyhound racing and horse racing in Alabama, sports betting and eSports betting is still unavailable. When sports betting becomes legal in the state, eSports betting should become a new and popular way for Alabama’s residents to win a few dollars, and the state to earn some additional revenue into the bargain.

At its simplest, ‘eSports’ is video game play at the highest professional level possible. Usually, eSports is played in a team format (rather than individually) in leagues and tournaments worldwide. Software game development companies of major electronic games have each launched their own pro leagues, and eSports competitions have been transformed into global betting events with the advent of live streaming technology.

High-profile eSports such as Starcraft, Fortnite, League of Legends, Overwatch, Call of Duty and others, all have their own worldwide league competitions. Developed sports betting markets across the planet offer a range of betting markets across all major eSports tournaments.

Watch for sports betting to be legalized in Alabama to take part in legal eSports betting in the state.

Horse Racing Betting is fully legal (both online and on course/track side) for all visitors to, and residents of the state of Alabama, however, there are provisos.

Horse and greyhound racing are only permitted in cities of over 300 000 people.

Wagers can be made on live races, at off-track betting facilities and over the Internet, and as a result, all of the largest and well-known horse and dog racing betting websites that operate across the United States have a presence in the state of Alabama.

There are 3 greyhound racing facilities in Birmingham and Mobile and all 3 have live greyhound racing and simulcast greyhound and horse racing from all over the country 52 weeks a year. The Alabama tracks are considered to have some of the best in simulcast wagering opportunities for both greyhound and thoroughbred facilities across the nation. Significantly, all tracks in Alabama allow advance wagering except in multi-race wagers.

Off track betting bureaus (OTBs) are not widespread in Alabama. Full betting on Horse Racing and Simulcast racing are offered at the only 4 locations (3 of those are former tracks) across the state. Betting on races in Alabama, most major racing locations worldwide and of course, across the United States and are all available in Alabama OTB’s.

As the only form of permissible online betting in the state, it’s not surprising to learn that all major U.S. online horse racing betting sites all accept customers from the state of Alabama and offer real money bets on horse racing (Kentucky Derby, Triple Crown etc.) for Alabama residents and visitors to the state.

Click Here for our list on Online casinos licensed to operate in Alabama