Alabama legislators are the latest to try to legalise online and land-based sports betting in their state. House Bill 161 would allow for wagering on both professional and collegiate sports within the Yellowhammer State.
The bill was introduced by State Representative John Rogers, and would create the Alabama Sports Wagering Commission to help control this new market.
The Commission would be able to issue up to seven licenses for brands to take out, at a cost of $100,000 (approx. £72,908). These licenses would run for five years, and then a renewal fee of another $100,000 would apply.
A weekly 10% tax rate would also apply to adjusted sports betting receipts.
This is the latest state to introduce new bills in an attempt to legalise sports betting. Minnesota and Hawaii are another two states looking to introduce sports betting and other types of gambling in a safe and well-regulated manner.
Alabama legislators will no doubt be aware that many of the other states, both around Alabama and further afield, are legalising sports betting and creating a safe and well-regulated market for players to enjoy.
By not attempting to change things, they risk losing revenue and tax that could be put to bettering the lives of people in the state such as through scholarships and education programs. This is a common use for the money raised through the taxation of gambling in other states.
With the bill preparing to undergo scrutiny, it will be interesting to watch how reactions to it unfold, both in Alabama and the other states undergoing change.
