The gambling landscape remains limited in Alabama and future prospects appear less than promising.
Online casino gambling is not legal in Alabama. An alternative is social casinos, which feature popular online casino games such as slots, blackjack and video poker, and are free to play for entertainment or prizes, with no money exchanged. The games are available on social casino websites or through Facebook apps. Gambling.com’s top-rated social casinos are listed above.
Online casino gambling for real money with offshore-based sites is not recommended. Offshore sites are unregulated and offer account holders no protections or safeguards.
Alabama does allow Daily Fantasy Sports and online pari-mutuel horse racing betting through advance deposit wagering platforms. However, there's no sign that welcome promotions such as NJ online casino bonuses will be available anytime soon.
Online casino gambling is not on the radar in Alabama. The state does not allow casino gambling in any form, other than electronic bingo machines and video gaming machines based on bingo.
The state’s most realistic opportunity to legalize online gambling is through sports betting.
Three tribal casinos operate in the state, all owned by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Each is a Class II gaming facility, meaning video bingo machines only and no table games. Two of the state’s former greyhound tracks also offer electronic bingo machines and are listed last.
Casino | City | Address | Hours of Operation |
---|---|---|---|
Wind Creek Casino and Hotel Atmore | Atmore | 303 Poarch Road | 6 a.m.-3 a.m. |
Wind Creek Casino and Hotel Montgomery | Montgomery | 1801 Eddie L. Tullis Road | 6 a.m.-3 a.m. |
Wind Creek Casino and Hotel Wetumpka | Wetumpka | 100 River Oaks Drive | 6 a.m.-3 a.m. |
VictoryLand | Shorter | 8680 County Road 40 | 24 hours |
Greenetrack | Eutaw | 524 County Road 208 | 24 hours |
Address: 303 Poarch Road, Atmore
Website: www.windcreekatmore.com
Hours of Operation: 6 a.m.-3 a.m.
Address: 1801 Eddie L. Tullis Road, Montgomery
Website: www.windcreekmontgomery.com
Hours of Operation: 6 a.m.-3 a.m.
Address: 100 River Oaks Drive, Wetumpka
Website: www.windcreekwetumpka.com
Hours of Operation: 6 a.m.-3 a.m.
Address: 8680 County Road 40, Shorter
Website: www.victoryland.com
Hours of Operation: Open 24 hours
Address: 524 County Road 208, Eutaw
Website: www.greenetrackpaysyoumoney.com
Hours of Operation: Open 24 hours
Alabama has no casinos other than three tribal facilities and two former greyhound tracks that offer electronic bingo machines.
At some point, it’s possible the state could enter into a gambling compact with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians that would expand gaming options at the tribal casinos. The tribe has expressed interest in such a proposal, seeking a fuller range of gaming in exchange for annual payments to the state.
Online casino gambling is not likely anytime soon in Alabama. If and when it ever occurs, online casino apps will play a significant role.
Casino apps allow a bettor the opportunity to wager from a smartphone or mobile device 24/7 from anywhere inside the state. The apps are free, available for Android or iOS operating systems and can be downloaded from the casino websites or the App Store.
Games launched in states with legal online gambling:
Online Poker: Play cash games or tournaments of No-Limit Texas Hold’em or Pot-Limit Omaha, just as in a traditional poker room.
Online Blackjack: Online version of most popular casino game offers lower minimum bets, more varieties of blackjack and no waiting for a seat at a table.
Online Slots: Most of the same 3-reel and progressive slots found at your local casino can also be found online, along with new games with the latest 3-D graphics and animation.
Lottery: Alabama is one of only six states in the U.S. that does not offer a lottery.
Online Roulette: With its easy-to-learn rules, roulette continues to be a popular casino game. The online version replaces a physical wheel with an electronic random generator.
Live Dealer: Available in a few states, table games are dealt by a live dealer in a studio or casino setting and then streamed to a player’s computer or mobile device. Players can chat with the dealer and other players at the table.
In states that allow online casino gambling, operators want to make deposits and withdrawals as convenient as possible. The most common payment options:
Credit/debit cards: Easily the most popular deposit option. However some banks reject gambling transactions or may treat them as a cash advance and charge higher fees.
Play+: Often branded by the online casino or online sportsbook, the Play+ card was created for this purpose. Fund the card with a credit card or bank account and it can be used both to deposit and withdraw funds.
ACH/bank transfer: A form of electronic check in which funds are transferred from a player’s bank account to online gambling account or vice versa.
PayPal/Neteller: E-wallets that allow account holders to transfer funds to and from an online gambling account for low fees. Quicker than bank transfers.
Prepaid cards: Cards are loaded with a specific amount of money, which helps prevent overspending. Available at retail sites and often through casino operator’s website.
PayNearMe: Use cash at a local 7-Eleven or other select locations. A barcode scan transfers the money to your online gambling account.
Online casino operators use bonus offers as an incentive to sign up new players and retain existing accounts. Some of these offers require the bonus money be wagered a set number of times before it can be redeemed. The most common offers:
Deposit match: Make an initial deposit and the casino operator will match that amount up to 100%. These typically have significant playthrough requirements and not all games will apply equally to satisfying those terms. Always read the terms and conditions before signing up.
No-deposit sign-up bonus: Simply register for an account and receive a small bonus.
Reload bonus: May be offered to players whose accounts were recently depleted or are inactive.
Free spins: Offered to slot players to try new and different slot games.
Currently, there are no legal online casinos operating in the state. Only land based casinos offer residents the chance to play. Before you play with a local casino or an offshore operator be sure to check out our list of the best paying online casinos.
Given its status as one of the most conservative U.S. states, it's no surprise Alabama isn’t much of a gambling hub. That means legal online gambling other than social casinos in Alabama is nonexistent, and change doesn’t look like it’s going to be on the horizon anytime soon.
There are three casinos on Native American land that offer limited forms of gaming, as well as horse and greyhound tracks. Besides those avenues, and not-for-profit charity events, there's not much else.
Sports betting is not permitted in Alabama. Sports betting legislation was introduced but failed to advance out of committee in both 2019 and 2020, with the most recent bill proposing both in-person and online sports wagering and offering up to four licenses to casino operators. It’s expected a similar bill will be introduced again in 2021.
While Alabama has no professional sports teams, its college football fervor is well-documented, especially for in-state powerhouses University of Alabama and Auburn. That makes the state a potentially compelling sports betting market, if lawmakers are willing to go along.
Given the state’s conservative stance on most forms of gambling, the easy answer is several years down the road. But it could happen sooner.
Gov. Ivey and state lawmakers say they are aware of the continuous flow of gambling dollars from Alabama bettors to neighboring Mississippi, and soon to Tennessee, which recently legalized online sports betting. It’s one of the reasons Ivey commissioned a statewide group to determine the benefits of expanding gambling in Alabama.
Rep. John Rogers, the longtime state lawmaker sponsoring the House bill for legal sports betting, has been down this road before. His legislation that paved the way for the Birmingham Turf Club horse track to be built in the 1980s also overcame significant odds. He may not convince a majority of GOP lawmakers in 2021, but as more states continue to adopt sports betting to help plug budget shortfalls, Alabama may eventually fall into line.
Gov. Ivey signed a Daily Fantasy Sports betting bill into law in 2019. Three years prior, fantasy sports operators were forced to stop doing business in Alabama after the state’s attorney general ruled Daily Fantasy Sports was illegal.
The state’s sports fantasy bill established a tax structure, annual fees and set a minimum age of 19 to participate. The industry’s two biggest operators, DraftKings and Fanduel, accept Alabama accounts, though some of the industry’s smaller players are not active in the state.
Alabama has no horse tracks. The Birmingham Turf Club opened to much fanfare in 1987, but was eventually converted to a greyhound track and in 2020 ended live dog racing. The track now offers historical racing machines (instant racing).
The state’s other three greyhound tracks, VictoryLand, Greenetrack and Mobile Greyhound Park, have also ceased live racing. All four of Alabama’s tracks still operate as simulcast facilities. Online pari-mutuel wagering is available through select advance deposit wagering platforms such as TwinSpires, Xpressbet and NYRA Bets.
Hard to say considering the state has no retail sportsbooks or commercial casinos. The Poarch Bank of Creek Indians, who own three tribal casinos in the state, operate a sportsbook at their Wind Creek Bethlehem Casino in Pennsylvania and would be an obvious candidate.
The 2020 sports betting legislation allowed four licenses, which would limit the number of operators, but several of the industry’s big names such as BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel and Penn National Gaming would likely have some level of interest.
The most recent sports betting legislation allowed for wagering on “certain professional or college sports.’’ That makes it difficult to determine if betting on college games involving Alabama-based teams would be permitted. Presumably, there would be no restrictions on pro sports betting, with the possible exception of games played within the state.
No. Online casino gambling or sports betting are not permitted in Alabama.
Alabama players must be 21 or over to gamble at the tribal casinos. The minimum age is 18 for pari-mutuel wagering, 19 for Daily Fantasy Sports.
None. Commercial casino gambling is not legal in Alabama.
Electronic bingo machines, pari-mutuel wagering and Daily Fantasy Sports are all allowed in Alabama.
Any bettor would need to be physically located within the state to place a wager. Online accounts can generally be set up from anywhere.
Some of the offers are from social casinos, which offer free online slots and table games for entertainment purposes or prizes. Others may be from offshore online wagering sites, which attempt to circumvent state and federal laws and should be avoided.
Electronic bingo machines are offered at Wind Creek tribal casinos in Atmore, Montgomery and Wetumpka, and at pari-mutuel facilities VictoryLand and Greenetrack. Simulcast pari-mutuel wagering is available at Birmingham Greyhound Racing, Mobile Greyhound Park, VictoryLand and Greenetrack. The Birmingham facility also offers historical racing machines.
No. Alabama does not allow sports betting.
State lawmakers would make that determination. The most recent House legislation would create an Alabama Sports Wagering Commission.
Yes, provided the Alabama casino site or sportsbook is licensed and regulated by the Alabama state agency responsible for ensuring the integrity of online gaming.
All gambling winnings are subject to state and federal tax. Alabama’s state income tax rate is capped at 5%.
"Ron Fritz is a former editor for Gambling.com."
Reviewer since July 2019