Alabama legislators delay meeting on gambling bill

An elderly woman plays slot machines in a casino on the Atlantic City Boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey. (John Moore/Getty Images)

Alabama legislators delayed a meeting Wednesday on a proposed gambling package that has divided the House and Senate.

Rep. Chris Blackshear, R-Smiths Station, wrote in a text message on Wednesday that the two chambers are closer to a compromise after “several productive meetings” between members of the conference committee assigned to resolve differences between the chambers over the package.

“We will continue to have these discussions and hold a public meeting when both sides are comfortable doing so,” Blackshear said.

The House version, passed in February , included a lottery and authorized up to seven casinos and sports betting around the state. It also directed the governor to enter a compact with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, a federally-recognized tribe that runs casinos in Atmore, Montgomery and Wetumpka.

The Senate version, passed last month , removed everything but the compact and the lottery. The House and Senate also disagree on how gambling money should be distributed and when an election on the issue should take place.

The Senate conferees are Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore; Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro; and Sen. Garlan Gudger, R-Cullman. The House conferees are Blackshear; Sam Jones, D-Mobile; and Rep. Andy Whitt, R-Harvest.

Singleton and Albritton are longtime proponents of gambling legislation. Whitt and Blackshear developed the original House legislation.

Whitt who said Tuesday the conference committee would meet Wednesday afternoon, seemed less sure Wednesday morning and declined to say if a meeting was still planned.

Albritton said he wasn’t sure if they were still meeting Wednesday, but he said the bill was still alive. He said they are getting closer to a deal but didn’t go into specifics.

“We still got five days, right? We just got a long way to go,” Albritton said.

Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, declined to comment. On Tuesday, he said he wasn’t invited to a meeting with at least three members of a conference committee Monday .

Jemma Stephenson contributed to this report.

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