Gambling Alabama
Hitting a casino in Alabama is just one option when it comes to finding fun things to do, and there are an ample number of destinations in the state where you can enjoy some gaming action. The Alabama casinos are run by Native Americans, and while they aren't exactly akin to the expansive casinos that you will find in Las Vegas, they are nonetheless exciting places to hang out. Slot machines, pull-tab cards, and video gambling machines are the main staples at the Alabama casinos, and if you're looking for other ways to tempt Lady Luck, you can always put a wager on a horse or dog race. As is the case in most states, gambling in Alabama is a topic of hot debate, and while some residents want newer and larger casinos, others are content with the current supply. Time will tell if Alabama makes the move to compete with such destinations as Biloxi, Mississippi when it comes to building new casino hotels, but for the time being, your options are somewhat limited.
Gambling in Alabama is picking up steam, and with new places like the Wind Creek Casino and Resort springing up, your chances to win big in this laid-back state are only increasing. In addition to hitting a casino in Alabama, you can also lay down some wagers on a dog or horse race. Experience the splendid side of Southern hospitality when you discover the luxurious Harrah's Gulf Coast Casino, Hotel and Spa by Caesars Entertainment.
Bessemer, Alabama had some e-bingo halls in place, but their legality was in question due to a dispute between the city council, which voted to allow the halls, and the mayor, who opposed gambling. Those halls remained closed after the task force invalidation.
Montgomery Alabama is home to one of the top Alabama casinos, so when you're not enjoying local attractions like Old Alabama Town, you can enjoy some gaming action. The Tallapoosa Casino boasts 21,000 square feet of gaming space in the state's capital, and there are 500 Class II electronic bingo machines here where you can put anywhere from 1 cent to 50 dollars on the line each time that you bet. Interested visitors can inquire about the casino's 'Rewards Club' if they are interested in earning extra points for things like free food and merchandise, and if you plan to enjoy repeat visits, it's recommended that you do so. As is true of all the Alabama casinos, the Tallapoosa Casino is open 24 hours and 7 days a week, and there is free parking. An onsite snack bar serves snacks and quick-service meals at the Tallapoosa Casino, and there is a golf course next door if you are thinking of hitting the links during your Montgomery visit. The same Native American organization that runs the Tallapoosa Casino also runs the Riverside Casino in nearby Wetumpka, and the Creek Casino in Atmore.
The Riverside Casino is another great place to enjoy some gaming action in the Montgomery area. With 39,000 square feet of gaming space, this lively casino in Alabama is near double the size of the Tallapoosa Casino. There are more than 900 electronic bingo machines on offer at the Riverside Casino, when you're not gambling, the Wave Entertainment Lounge is a fun place to kick back. Live music is performed nightly in the lounge on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, and the wide-screen television is often airing a big football game or other sporting event. When you get hungry at the Riverside Casino, the casual Backstage Buffet serves up quite a bountiful selection, especially come the Sunday Brunch. Friday and Saturday nights feature extra seafood if you are a seafood lover. As for the Creek Casino in Atmore, it is even bigger than the Riverside Casino. More than 1,200 electronic bingo machines are spread out over the 47,000 square feet of gaming space here, and the casino is also home to a fun lounge and a casual buffet restaurant. Atmore is found in the southwestern part of Alabama near Mobile, so you can add it to your Gulf Coast itinerary.
Alabama Map
The Creek Casino isn't the only place in Atmore where you can do some gambling. The Wind Creek Casino and Resort aims to take center stage when it comes to gambling in Alabama, and this Atmore casino not only offers 80,000 square feet of gaming space, but a 16-story hotel as well. A 2,000-seat amphitheater, a steakhouse, and a few cocktail bars also figure among the Wind Creek facilities, so you can bank on a lively experience here. If you only visit one casino in Alabama, the Wind Creek Casino and Resort should arguably be your first choice, though the aforementioned options are worthy venues as well. Gambling in Alabama is picking up steam, and with new places like the Wind Creek Casino and Resort springing up, your chances to win big in this laid-back state are only increasing. In addition to hitting a casino in Alabama, you can also lay down some wagers on a dog or horse race. The Greenetrack in Eutaw is just one place where you can bet on dog races when looking to do some gambling in Alabama, and you might check to see what your featured destinations have to offer as well.
Alabama might not be the first state you think of when you think of gambling and casinos. You probably do know that it’s the “Heart of Dixie,” though.
As it turns out, Alabama does have a casino scene, and in this post, I’m going to reveal some of the secrets about the Alabama casino scene you might not know about.
An Overview of the Alabama Casino and Gambling Scene
Alabama’s probably never going to compete with Nevada or even Oklahoma in terms of casinos, but the state does boast three Native American casinos and a racino with parimutuel betting. The only kind of gambling you can do at these casinos, though, is via Class II gambling machines.
And, Alabama is one of the only six states in the Union without a state lottery.
It’s illegal for an individual to own a Class III slot machine, but individual collectors are allowed to legally own Class II slot machines.
Go figure.
Class II Slot Machines in Alabama and How They Work
What’s a Class II gambling machine?
A traditional slot machine has a random number generator that creates the outcomes on the screen in front of you. (If it’s an old-fashioned machine, the RNG generates the reel symbols on the reels.) Actual mechanical slot machines no longer operate in casinos anywhere in the United States that I know of.
Each slot machine has its own RNG. It’s just a computer program that thinks of thousands of numbers per second. When you hit the spin button or pull the lever, that program stops on whatever number it’s thinking of at that instant.
And each of those numbers corresponds to a combination of reel symbols. The payouts are based on how likely a specific set of reel symbols is to occur on a payline. The payout is always less than the probability of getting that result.
Here’s an example:
If you have a 1 in 5 probability of getting a specific combination, it’s probably going to pay off at even money or 2 for 1 instead of the 5 to 1 that would make it a break-even bet.
Those kinds of slot machines are called Class III slot machines. That’s a legal distinction because different states have different laws about what kinds of gambling are allowed and which aren’t.
Class II slot machines duplicate the visible action of a traditional slot machine but does so within the letter of the law. Class II gaming, basically, just refers to bingo games – whether they’re electronic or not.
When these laws were first passed, this led to a rise in how common bingo halls were in states where Indian gaming had become popular. Then someone realized that if you used a bingo algorithm to power the results on a game that looked like a slot machine, you could stay legal and make more money.
But what’s happening behind-the-scenes is that you’re playing an electronic bingo with at least one other player in a centralized computer system. The outcome of this electronic bingo game determines your payout on the “slot machine.”
Class II slot machine games offer basically the same odds as Class III slot machines, they just use a different mechanism to determine the outcomes. One of the best analogies is that Class II bingo resembles playing a scratch-and-win lottery ticket.
One thing to beware of, though – Class II “video poker” games aren’t really video poker at all. They don’t mimic the odds you’d find in a deck of cards, and the decisions you make during play are essentially meaningless.
And, since making meaningful decisions is the whole point to real money video poker, you can’t really justify playing Class II video poker games.
Victoryland Is the Largest Casino in Alabama
VictoryLand is more than just a casino. It also offers a race betting and a hotel. It’s located in Shorter, Alabama. The casino has an interesting history.
In 2010, they were forced to close their casino, restaurant, and hotel. A federal probe into “gambling improprieties” prompted the arrest of Victoryland’s owner, Milton McGregor, and 10 state senators and lobbyists. Charges included bribery, conspiracy, and honest services fraud.
Alabama Gambling Age
In 2012, McGregor was acquitted of all charges, but Alabama’s Attorney General, Luther Strange, insisted that the electronic bingo machines on the site were illegal.
In 2013, the state seized over a quarter million dollars in cash and over 1500 gambling machines.
But in 2015, the courts found that it was unusual and inappropriate that the state’s Attorney General was only taking action against Victoryland and not the other Alabama land based casinos which were operating in the same manner.
The casino reopened (again) in 2016 with over 500 gambling machines.
Victoryland now has over 1000 gambling machines on its gaming floor, and the casino is open 24/7.
The Wind Creek Casinos Are the Other Casinos in Alabama
Besides Victoryland, you’ll find casino-style gambling at three other casinos in Alabama, all of which are named “Wind Creek Casino.” These include:
- Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Atmore
- Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Montgomery
- Wind Creek Casinos & Hotel Wetumpka
The biggest of these is Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Wetumpka, which offers 2500+ gambling machines. They claim to offer the highest payouts in the Southeast on their website, but that sounds like marketing-speak to me. (The state of Alabama doesn’t require any of the casinos there to publish return-to-player percentages.)
Like most Vegas-style casinos, Wind Creek Casinos & Hotel Wetumpka has a robust set of promotions where they award players with rebates, free spins, cars, and travel.
Their rewards program is called Wind Creek Rewards. It’s not much different from any other slots club – you can earn “free” food, hotel stays, and concert tickets based on how much time and money you spend gambling there.
They also claim on their website that this is the “most generous” rewards program in the Southeast – more marketing-speak.
They also have a full-service hotel and a Starbucks on site as well as a spa.
Will Alabama Have a Lottery Soon, Too?
In March, 2020, one of Alabama’s legislator’s put forth a lottery bill. This new law would create a paper-based lottery. The plan is for the funds to go toward Alabama’s pre-kindergarten program and toward a college scholarship program. A tiny percentage of the funds would also be allocated toward problem gambling programs.
The lottery bill will need 63 votes to pass, but it has at least 70 co-sponsors. It looks likely to pass if it ever comes up for a vote, but there’s no telling when that might be. At one time, they were anticipating a vote by the end of 2020, but that’s uncertain.
Conclusion
Alabama gambling is not exactly on the same level as a state like Nevada or even Oklahoma.
But if you want to gamble there, you can find gambling machines in a few locations operated by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Or you can gamble at Victoryland.
You’re limited to Class II gambling machines at these locations, though – you can’t participate in any kind of table games at any of the gambling halls in Alabama.
Alabama Gambling Casinos
But you can bet on dog races and horse races at the racino there.
Simple Gambling Alabama
What the impending lottery will do to the business model of these casinos is a question yet to be answered, but since 44 states – including many that have a lottery – offer both the lottery and casinos, I don’t think Alabama needs to worry about their casinos going bankrupt because of the lottery.