Tommy Tuberville Open to Legal Gambling Expansion in Alabama

The Alabama Republican gubernatorial nominee, Tommy Tuberville, who was previously the head coach in college football for Ole Miss, Auburn, Texas Tech, and Cincinnati, said he wouldn’t block legal gambling in Alabama if he were elected. Still, he would want any expansion to be part of one package.

Tuberville said that while he’s not a gambler, “I want to do what the people of Alabama want to do, and I told people that I’m not going to stand in the way of it.” He also thinks voters should decide the issue.

The 2027 legislative session opens February 2, and this could be the next chance since a 2024 package fell one vote short in the state Senate.

Tuberville Wants Lottery and Casino Expansion in One Package

On gambling, Tuberville said the governor and the office “should be on top of everything in terms of how it’s all put together.”

He also called the medical marijuana rollout in the state a disaster and doesn’t want to make similar mistakes.

“Let’s do it right. Let’s don’t have to go back and change this or that,” Tuberville said. “Put it all together, whether it’s lottery, whether it’s casinos. I don’t care what it is.”

That said, Tuberville said it could take a year or longer to put together a one-and-done package.

Alabama Gambling Legislation Could Return in 2027

As mentioned, in 2024, there was a package that would’ve brought not only gambling, but also a state lottery and casinos. However, it died in the Senate after it was altered a bunch and fell a vote shy.

Then, Sen. Greg Albritton came back in 2025 with a bill after first introducing one in 2022. However, Albritton said the votes simply weren’t there.

As for 2026, there was no gambling-related legislation.

On the likelihood of gambling coming to Alabama, Polymarket gives Tuberville a 93.8% chance of victory, so 2027 could be a chance to build momentum toward a one-and-done deal.