FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA —
OP-ED by Stephanie Smith, President/CEO of Alabama Policy Institute
Campaign money from the sports betting industry is pouring into Alabama ahead of the May 19 primary.
The Sports Betting Alliance, which includes Bet 365, BetMGM, DraftKings, Fanatics, and FanDuel, has given at least $2.3 million to Alabama political action committees over the last year. SV&B PAC has received at least $1.9 million. North Alabama PAC, operated by Steve Raby, has received over $300,000 from that one source. SV&B has invested over $750,000 into current incumbents and candidates; North Alabama PAC has invested hundreds of thousands more. Some of that cash changed hands as those political operatives walked the halls and helped lead Republican caucus meetings during the most recent legislative session.
Make no mistake – these aren’t contributions but investments in candidates they believe will back an expansion of gambling. Eleven legislative candidates have gotten $20,000 or more from the SV&B PAC. Some have received almost $50,000. Several statewide candidates have taken tens of thousands of dollars from both PACs (funded by gambling money) while claiming otherwise. Financial reports often tell you more truth than any campaign ad or stump speech ever could.
It is clear that both in and out of state gambling operators have their sights on Alabama. Millions of dollars are also flowing into primary challenges from a super PAC called Win for America which oversees the deceptively named American Conservative Fund. Recent FEC filings reveal that those PACs are almost entirely bankrolled by the “big three” of the sports betting world: DraftKings, FanDuel & Fanatics. Together, these companies have committed a staggering $41 million this cycle to influence state legislative races in states like Alabama, Georgia, and Texas. Texas disbanded their lottery commission in 2025 due to corruption and Georgia rightly rejected sports betting again in 2026.
So far, the American Conservative Fund has pumped somewhere between $4-6 million into mailers and independent expenditures for lawmakers who have previously voted for gambling and are spending additional money against principled conservatives who refuse to compromise on their values to satisfy the gambling lobby. They have been reported by multiple candidates to the Secretary of State’s office for noncompliance with state campaign finance law; the Secretary of State’s office has reportedly referred the matter for further investigation to the Attorney General’s office.
These syndicates are not investing in Alabama’s future; they are investing in their business model of exploitation. They want to replace our traditional values of hard work and thrift with get rich quick schemes that will ultimately leave pastors, taxpayers, and the most vulnerable among us holding the bag for the resulting social fallout.
Gambling is a regressive tax on those who can least afford it. The expansion of this industry in Alabama is a bad bet for our families, our economy, and our state’s soul. Every single voter should look past the glossy mailers and clever campaign ads to ask: Who is paying for this campaign, and what do they expect in return?
The goal of these gambling operators is simple: purchase statewide officials and a legislature that will turn every smartphone in Alabama into a portable casino with the profit going out of state and into their pockets. They aren’t concerned with the well-being of Alabamians and there are no “good guys” in gambling. The 2026 primary to be held on May 19th is not just an election; it is a referendum on whether Alabama’s policy will be written by her people or by the highest bidder. Gambling breeds greed and corruption; these primary races are not the end but are just the beginning.
API remains committed to the promotion of free markets, limited government, and strong families – none of which are served increased governmental corruption or by the predatory gambling industry
For more information contact admin@alabamapolicy.org
