Online gambling in Alabama

Alabamians, like most people in every other state, love to gamble. Our experts will talk about online gambling in Alabama and the current state of legality in this comprehensive article. Besides that, we will discuss some of the best online gambling sites in Alabama where players can enjoy a great gaming experience.

Best online gambling sites in Alabama

Once online gambling becomes fully legal in Alabama, we expect the following sites to be the best:

DraftKings Alabama

This is an online gambling platform that has been around since 2012. It is legal in Alabama, particularly for daily fantasy sports betting. However, the operator also has sportsbook and casino sections.

You will enjoy betting on teams such as the Alabama Crimson Tide and North Alabama Lions in the sportsbook section. As for the online casino section, there are hundreds of games available to enjoy. DraftKings also offers incredible bonuses and promotions, and it accepts a wide range of banking options.

FanDuel Alabama

FanDuel is another top-rated online betting site for Alabama players. It is a go-to place for fantasy sports betting and horse racing betting. The operator’s platform is mobile-friendly, which means you can access it on your mobile devices.

Besides, FanDuel has a sportsbook section where players can wager on major and minor sporting events. When it comes to bonuses, there is plenty to claim here.

BetRivers Alabama

BetRivers is a betting platform founded in 2012. It is home to a wide range of casino games and has a sportsbook section where players can bet on sports. Whether you love betting on your smartphones, tablets, or desktop computers, the platform is optimized for different devices.

To top that, its odds for sports betting are pretty competitive, and players can enjoy several lucrative bonuses. BetRivers also accepts numerous easy-to-use payment methods ad processes transactions quickly.

PointsBet Alabama

This is one of the fastest-growing betting sites in the US. It covers different sports, such as soccer, basketball, football, and hockey. Whether it is the NCAA, NBA, NFL, or MLS, you can bet on all the popular leagues and completion at PointsBet.

The operator offers live betting, and its odds are pretty great. Besides that, it has a casino section where players can play various slots, table games, video poker, and live dealer games.

Unibet Alabama

Founded in 1997, Unibet offers AL players horse racing and sports betting. It has a superb sportsbook section covering nothing less than 30 different kinds of sports. You can place all sorts of bets at the gambling site, ranging from Moneyline to proposition bets.

In addition, Unibet offers players a downloadable iOS and Android app, so you can gamble on the go. There are also several mouthwatering bonuses for players to claim.

Is online gambling legal in Alabama?

Online gambling is not yet fully legalized in the state of Alabama. The only legalized form of online gambling is greyhound dog racing, horse racing, and daily fantasy sports betting (DFS). DFS was legalized in 2019 after Governor Kay Ivey signed the bill.

Apart from DFS, every form of online gambling is yet to be legalized in the state. This means that you cannot gamble online in Alabama. However, several attempts have been made in recent years to legalize online casinos, sports betting, and other forms of online gambling, but all to no avail. Nevertheless, we are hopeful and confident that online gambling will be legal in Alabama in the next few months or years.

Alabamian players can still play casino games and bet on sports online despite the not-so-friendly gambling laws. However, they can only do so legally by going to neighboring states like Mississippi, where gambling is legal. Nevertheless, when doing that, you must note that the gambling laws of the visited state apply, not that of Alabama.

Another option to gambling in Alabama is to play at offshore betting sites. These gambling platforms are licensed by different regulatory authorities in their respective jurisdictions, and some of them offer good services to players.

Yet, note that playing at offshore betting sites is not allowed according to the state’s gambling laws. However, many players do this, and there has been no case of anyone being arrested or prosecuted.

How to register to an online gambling site in AL

If you want to gamble online in Alabama, you need to first create an account with an online sports betting app of your choice. There are several betting sites to choose from, and we will talk about some of the best ones shortly.

Most operators make their registration process straightforward, and you should be able to set up an account within a few minutes. Over the next few subsections, we will provide a step guide to gambling in Alabama.

1. Create an account with an Alabamian online betting site

As we mentioned earlier, the first thing you need is to create an account with an Alabamian online betting site. Once you visit the sportsbook of your choice, click on the register/signup button, usually somewhere at the top. This will take you to the registration page of the betting platform.

2. Complete the registration form

You will be presented with a form or series of forms to fill on the registration page. The operator will request basic details such as your email address, name, phone number, last four digits of your social security number, and so on. Ensure you provide accurate information during registration to avoid any issues in the future.

3. Agree to the T&Cs and Activate Account

After completing the registration form, you will need to agree to the betting site’s terms and conditions by ticking the required box. You may also see other boxes that are optional to click on. Once you are done, you can submit the form. The operator will then send an activation link to the email address you provided or a code to your phone number. Use this link or code to activate your betting account.

4. Deposit and start Betting

Once your betting account is activated, the next thing is to fund it using one of the banking options that the gambling site accepts. At this point, we recommend that you take advantage of the welcome bonus offered by the Alabama sportsbook or online casino offers. However, make sure you consider the bonus terms and conditions. With funds in your account, you can start gambling on your preferred games or sports.

Online gambling bonuses & promotions

The best Alabamian gambling sites offer mouthwatering bonuses and promos to new players. One such is the signup bonus that you can claim when you join a new gambling site. The idea behind this bonus is to welcome new players and help them enjoy a good gambling experience.

Depending on the site, the signup bonus can take different forms. For instance, some AL online gambling sites can offer theirs as a match deposit bonus, where they will match the first amount that a player deposits by a certain percentage. Other online casinos may offer theirs as free spins.

Before creating an account, you can check the bonuses available to claim at an Alabama gambling site. And when doing so, make sure you consider the bonus terms and conditions.

Understanding bonus terms and conditions

Every online gambling bonus is subject to terms and conditions, which determine how you can claim a bonus and keep winnings from it. You want to consider the qualifying deposit for deposit bonuses like match bonuses.

Besides that, make sure you consider the wagering requirements, which is the number of times you are required to bet the bonus to collect the winnings.

Another essential factor to take into account is the validity period. Every bonus has a duration, after which it expires. If you do not claim the bonus within this period, it expires.

Besides that, check the list of games or sporting events to which the bonus applies. Some bonuses are limited to only specific games and may come with minimum odds (in the case of sports betting). Other essential factors in the bonus terms and conditions to take into account are the validity period, minimum odds, game limitation, maximum win, and so on.

Popular forms of online gambling in Alabama

Alabama players love gambling on different kinds of games. This explains why most online gambling sites that target players in the state partner with several top-tier developers to satisfy the needs of players.

Read more about the most popular forms of online gambling in the state of Alabama:

Sports betting

Online sports betting in Alabama is very popular, as it is with many other US states. Alabama players enjoy betting on basketball, particularly the NBA and NCAA.

One of the popular teams that bettors watch out for is the Alabama Crimson Tide in the Southeastern Conference. Apart from basketball, Alabamians also love to bet on football, hockey, baseball, and soccer.

Blackjack

Many casino players in Alabama are fans of blackjack. They play different variations, from Classic Blackjack to European Blackjack. The beauty of blackjack is that it is a game of both skill and luck. This means players can always use some strategies to improve their winning chances.

Poker

AL players enjoy playing other card-based games like online poker and video poker. At the best online casinos targeting players in the state, you can play different variations of online poker, such as Texas Hold’em and Omaha. Besides that, you will also enjoy plenty of popular variations of video poker like Jacks or Better, Deuces Wild, and Double Bonus Poker.

Craps

Players in the Heart of Dixie also love playing craps. This is a specialty game played with a pair of dice. The goal is to bet on the possible outcome of each throw of a die. There are several crap variations available to play at top online casinos in Alabama.

Roulette

Roulette is a famous table game in Alabama, especially variants such as American, French, and European Roulette. AL players place different bets on roulette games, including straight bet, corner bet, and other inside and outside bets.

Slots

Like most parts of the world, slots is a popular casino game in Alabama. From classic slots to progressive jackpot slots, top online casinos feature these games designed by some best developers like NetEnt, Bally, and so on.

Does Alabama have a state lottery?

At this moment, a state lottery is not yet present in Alabama. In April 2021, the senators passed a constitutional amendment to allow the lottery, casino-style gaming, and sports betting in the SB309, 310, and 311 bills. However, the bills ran out of time to be put to the vote in May 2021.

For the Alabama state lotto to be introduced, a lottery bill must be passed in the House and subject to a three-fifth majority requirement. After that, it will then be put to Alabama voters.

While the lottery is not legal in Alabama, players can still play it online. But they have to visit a neighboring state like Mississippi and Tennessee, where it is legal. In fact, many of these neighboring states have retailers near their borders where AL players can play the lottery.

Alternatively, you can also play the lottery at offshore betting sites. But like we mentioned earlier, such sites are not regulated under the laws of Alabama.

Tribal casinos in Alabama

Alabama has only one federally-recognized tribe, the Poarch Creek Indians. The tribe presently operates three casinos in the state, one at Wetumpka, another at Atmore, and the last one at Montgomery. Among the games you will find at these casinos include slot machines, poker, roulette, blackjack, and so on.

However, these tribal casinos do not have an online platform, so you can only bet by visiting the infrastructures. Besides, the games you may find may differ from one casino to another. For instance, Wind Creek in Wetumpka only features bingo and slot machines.

Gambling tax in Alabama explained

Alabama, like most US states, taxes gambling winnings as income tax. This is between 2% and 5%, depending on the individual and the amount won. In cases where you place bets in neighboring states and win, you are still required by law to pay income tax on the winnings in Alabama.

Besides the state gambling tax, players must pay federal tax on gambling winnings above $5,000. This is a flat rate of 24%. Both taxes must be recorded in the W-2G form provided by betting sites. In cases where you cannot get the W-2G form, you should also note the tax and enter it in Form 1040.

Also, it is good to know that the taxes on winnings from online gambling differs whether you are single or married.

Gambling taxes for single people:

Gambling taxes for married people:

Can I bet on horses in Alabama?

Horse racing betting is one of the legal forms of gambling in Alabama. While you can bet on it at off-betting tracks, you can also bet online. Here is how to bet on horse racing in Alabama:

One of the good things about betting on horse racing online is that you will have access to a wide range of markets not usually available at off-betting tracks and actual tracks.

You will be able to place the standard Win, Show, and Place bets typically available for every horse racing event. Besides that, you can place exotic wagers like Exacta, Superfecta, Quintella, Trifecta, and others.

When betting online, you can also enjoy numerous bonuses and promotions. The best horse racing betting sites reward their players from time to time, giving them rewards like welcome bonuses for new players, rebates, reload bonuses, and so on.

How much gambling revenue does Alabama turnover?

The gambling revenue in Alabama is not as huge as that of some other US states, where almost all forms of gambling are legal. As of December 2021, the total tax impact and tribal revenue share are $149.8 million and an economic impact of $1.43 billion.

However, Alabama could enjoy a revenue of up to $700 million if other gambling forms were allowed. It is believed that this extra revenue source can be diverted to improve several sectors in the state, ranging from education to health. As it stands, tribes are tax-exempt, which means the 3 tribal casinos currently operational in the state are not required to pay tax. Instead, they pay a few based on their revenue.

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