Alabama is a southern state located in “the Heart of Dixie”, with a rich history dating back to the Civil War. It is known for its Magnolia trees, lush gardens, grand old historic homes, and southern hospitality. Alabama, with a population of over 4,500,000, is adjacent to Georgia, Mississippi, and Florida. The capital of Alabama is Montgomery, which was the first capital of the Confederacy.
Alabama casinos are for the most part bingo casinos, which are run by Native Americans. Casinos can only be run on Native American land, since there is no legalized gambling as such in the state of Alabama. The revenue from the Alabama casinos, as a result, is not taxed by the state of Alabama, since Native American tribes own them. The majority of gambling in Alabama can be found at the horse racing tracks and dog races, in addition to a few slot machines, video gambling machines, and pull-tab cards at these locations.
There are three Alabama casinos, all located within 20 minutes from the capital of Montgomery, that do a thriving business. The Creek Entertainment Center in Atmore is open for gambling Monday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 12 Midnight, and Friday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m. There are 1,000 bingo seats for live games, 200 electronic bingo machines, a number of pull-tab card selections, and one restaurant at the Creek Entertainment Center. The largest of the three Alabama casinos is the Tallapoosa Entertainment Center in Montgomery. The Tallapoosa is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week for casino gambling. There are 480 electronic bingo seats in 21,000 square feet of gaming space, with a full bar and grill for added convenience. The list of Alabama casinos also includes the Riverside Entertainment Center, located in Wetumpka, which is run by Native Americans as well. The Riverside casino is open 24 hours a day, Monday through Saturday, from 12:00 Noon to closing time, and Sunday, from 1:00 p.m. to closing time. This Alabama casino has 16,000 square feet of gambling area, a large selection of over 530 slot machines, and an onsite restaurant.
Alabama could profit enormously from having casinos located along the Gulf Coast, both onshore and on riverboats. This would encourage competition between Alabama and its neighboring state, Mississippi. The revenue to be gained from legalizing Alabama casinos and the boost it would provide to the economy may hopefully spur the state government to open Alabama to legalized gambling in the near future.
