SB311 Alabama 2021 Session

Updated Feb 23, 2026

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Del Marsh
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2021
Title: Lottery and gaming, certain campaign contributions by operator of gaming facilities prohibited under certain conditions, certain criminal penalties updated, Secs. 13A-12-32 to 13A-12-39, inclusive, added; Secs. 11-47-111, 13A-12-29, 13A-12-50 to 13A-12-58, inclusive, 13A-12-70 to 13A-12-76, inclusive, 13A-12-90 to 13A-12-92, inclusive, repealed; Secs. 13A-11-9, 13A-12-20, 13A-12-21, 13A-12-22, 13A-12-23, 13A-12-24, 13A-12-25, 13A-12-26, 13A-12-27, 13A-12-28, 13A-12-30 am'd.
Summary: SB311 would curb gaming industry influence, update criminal penalties for unlawful casino-style gaming and sports wagering, create new anti-cheating offenses, repeal outdated gambling laws, and tie these changes to the establishment of the Alabama Gaming Commission.
What This Bill Does
It bans certain political contributions by gaming facility operators and related entities to state or local campaigns and restricts related political activity; public officials and candidates are barred from soliciting or receiving contributions from these restricted groups. It adds and updates definitions for gambling and casino-style gaming, and establishes new offenses with corresponding penalties for unlawful gaming, cheating, and related activities. It updates loitering laws to cover loitering for unlawful gaming and repeals several older gambling-related statutes. The changes take effect only if the related constitutional amendment creating the Alabama Gaming Commission is ratified, with a local-funds provision exemption noted in the bill.

Who It Affects
Gaming facility operators, management service providers, license holders, compact participants, and entities with interests in these operators (including officers, managers, and related funds) and their family members, who would be barred from making or arranging political contributions to state/local campaigns or committees and from soliciting such contributions.
Public officials and candidates, who would be prohibited from soliciting or receiving contributions from the restricted gaming-related individuals or entities, and from receiving contributions via related legal entities or inaugural committees.

Key Provisions
Section 1 establishes anticorruption rules: restricted persons include covered operators, management service providers, license holders or those with >1% interest, compact participants, entities with interests in gaming facilities, officers/managers, and their related funds; these groups cannot make contributions to state/local campaigns or PACs through legal entities, and public officials cannot solicit or receive such contributions (Class A misdemeanor).
Section 2 defines gambling and casino-style gaming terms (e.g., casino-style games, sports wagering, gaming device, something of value) and sets definitions to guide enforcement and penalties; it also lists what constitutes unlawful gaming.
Sections 13A-12-32 to 13A-12-39 create new offenses related to gaming: using devices to project outcomes, track cards, analyze odds or strategies, or gain an advantage (Class D felony); cheating at casino-style games or sports wagering (Class D felony); manufacturing, selling, or distributing devices to violate gaming laws; possession of gambling devices or records; and related activities, all punishable as specified.
Section 4 updates loitering law to include loitering for unlawful gaming activity; Section 5 repeals outdated gambling statutes (gambling houses prohibition, out-of-state lotteries, and related provisions); Section 6 notes the local-funds exemption; Section 7 makes the act effective only after ratification of the companion constitutional amendment (SB319) creating the Alabama Gaming Commission.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 23, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Gambling