House Bill 449 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Phillip EnslerRepresentative

Democrat

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Alabama Lottery, established; Alabama Lottery Corporation, established to operate and regulate lottery games; revenue distribution, provided; criminal penalties for gambling offenses, increased

Description

This bill would implement the constitutional amendment proposed in House Bill xxx of the 2026 Regular Session to authorize a state lottery by creating the Alabama Lottery Corporation as a public corporation tasked with operating and managing the lottery.

This bill would establish the Alabama Lottery Trust Fund, which would be used by the Legislature each year to provide supplemental appropriations for only the following purposes: (i) to address problem gambling additions and treatment; (ii) to establish a postsecondary scholarship program for public two-year community and technical colleges and four-year public institutions of higher education; (iii) to provide cost-of-living raises and other benefits for active public education employees and bonuses for retired education employees; (iv) to award grants to hospitals to assist in their operation and prevent their closure; and (v) to provide tax credits to eligible residents of the state as determined by the Legislature.

This bill would establish the Alabama Lottery Corporation Board of Directors to supervise the state lottery and would provide for the appointment and duties of the board.

This bill would provide that the lottery HB449 INTRODUCED corporation would be under the day-to-day supervision of a chief executive officer who would be the president of the corporation, and would provide for his or her appointment and duties.

This bill would impose lottery advertising restrictions on the corporation to limit advertisements with a strong appeal to minors.

This bill would provide criminal penalties for sales of lottery tickets to minors, underage purchase of lottery tickets, making of counterfeit lottery tickets, skimming of lottery proceeds, and theft of a lottery prize by fraud.

This bill would require lottery tickets to be printed onto paper, plastic, or other tangible material, with exceptions.

This bill would amend various gambling-related offenses to increase the penalties and provide heightened criminal penalties for a second or subsequent conviction under the gambling laws of the state.

This bill would also provide a procedure for owners and operators of business establishments to be held criminally liable for allowing unlawful gambling activities to occur on the business premises.

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Subjects

Gaming