As the NFL season gets underway, Alabama remains one of the states without legal sports betting, leaving residents who wager on games to travel to states with regulated markets or use unregulated offshore operators.
The Sports Betting Alliance, an industry advocacy group representing bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings, Fanatics and FanDuel, is renewing its call for Alabama to legalize and regulate online sports betting.
“Alabamians are already betting on games—they’re just doing it without any of the protections fans in legal states rely on, and without a dollar coming back to Alabama,” Joe Maloney, the alliance’s president and CEO, said. “A regulated market gives customers real tools to set limits and manage their play, and it gives the state a revenue stream that funds its priorities.”
Sports betting remains illegal in Alabama. Lawmakers have repeatedly failed to approve sports wagering as part of broader gambling packages.
The alliance argues that Alabama’s prohibition has pushed sports betting beyond state regulators’ reach. Alabama does not license offshore operators, and state officials cannot require those companies to follow consumer protection standards, resolve customer disputes or contribute tax revenue.
Licensed sportsbooks in states with regulated markets typically offer tools intended to promote responsible gambling. Those measures can include deposit, wagering and time limits; account histories showing wins, losses and time spent on a platform; temporary cooling-off periods; and self-exclusion programs that let customers block access for months, years or permanently.
The alliance said its member companies also provide information about problem gambling treatment and counseling services and do not accept credit cards for account deposits.
“Unlike illegal operators, legal sportsbooks offer a range of responsible gaming tools, including deposit limits, play statistics and self-exclusion programs that help fans enjoy the season,” the organization said. “None of that is available through an Alabama-regulated market.”
In states where sports wagering is legal, regulators approve operators and betting products, establish age verification requirements and investigate complaints. Rules and tax structures vary by state.
Tennessee, which launched legal online sports betting in November 2020, collected about $107.6 million in sports wagering taxes in 2025. The Tennessee Sports Wagering Council publishes monthly reports detailing wagers and tax collections.
Tennessee allocates 80 percent of sports wagering tax revenue to education, 15 percent to local governments and 5 percent to the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. A 2025 law redirected the education share to public school construction and maintenance.
The alliance contends that a regulated Alabama market would provide enforceable safeguards for residents who already bet while generating state revenue. Any proposal to legalize sports betting would need approval from the Alabama Legislature, where disagreements over gambling have stalled previous efforts.
More information about the alliance’s responsible gambling programs is available on the Sports Betting Alliance website.
