Lottery Bill Faces First Tough Test
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A lottery bill in the Alabama Senate has faced its first test in a committee hearing.
The bill would let people vote on adding a state lottery as well as adding table gaming to four existing casinos in the state.
The committee gave people a chance to speak out about this bill.
Some people completely objected to the idea of a lottery and gambling, saying it’s using money from the poor to bolster the state’s budget.
The Poarch Creek Indians came forward and said they’re concerned about a lot of things missing from the legislation.
“Our concern is that the bill right now is proposed to only bring in $70 million to the state and roughly $331 million from the lottery. We’d support a lottery. The problem is why don’t you sit down and talk with the tribe before changing the landscape and see if we can help fund that gap,” Robert McGhee of the tribe told Alabama News Network.
The Poarch Creek Indians operate electronic bingo facilities in Montgomery, Wetumpka and Atmore.
The committee decided not to take a vote at the meeting, in order to take into account all the viewpoints from the hearing.
