By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Friday, December 23, 2016, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled unanimously that electronic bingo is illegal within the State of Alabama.
In the case State of Alabama v. 825 Electronic Gambling Devices, et al., Greenetrack, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled in favor of the State, reversing a lower court judgment siding with the casino. As a result, the State of Alabama is allowed to destroy the electronic bingo machines it seized from Greenetrack.
In its 29-page ruling released Friday, the Supreme Court reaffirmed its March 31, 2016 ruling in a similar case involving the legality of electronic bingo machines.
The Supreme Court wrote in the ruling, “There is no longer any room for uncertainty, nor justification for continuing dispute, as to the meaning of [the term ‘bingo’]. And certainly the need for any further expenditure of judicial resources, including the resources of this Court, to examine this issue is at an end. All that is left is for the law of this State to be enforced.”
The ruling frees AG Strange to destroy the seized machines and sets up the possibility that Greene Track and Victoryland could be raided by state law enforcement. Gov. Robert Bentley (R) has ordered Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) Secretary Stan Stabler to not allow the State troopers and other ALEA assets to support any gambling raids.
Attorney General Strange commended Assistant Attorney General John Kachelman of the Criminal Trials Division, as well as agents in his Investigations Division and all law enforcement officers who assisted with the Greenetrack case, including former agents Mike Reese and William Carson for their dedicated work.
