Measure to expand Alabama gambling on the fast track

Phillip Rawls

Tuesday, May 8, 2001 | 10:26 a.m.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Gambling machine legislation that passed the Alabama Senate last week is on the fast track in the Alabama House, where it is scheduled for a committee vote today.

The bill -- closing large adult arcades and allowing dog tracks to have unlimited gambling machines with unlimited cash prizes -- passed the Senate 18-17 Thursday.

One of the bill's opponents, Christian Coalition state director John Giles, expects the committee to approve the bill because of the committee's history of passing gambling-related legislation. He said the fight will be before the full House, which could come as early as Wednesday.

The bill would limit gambling machines to four per location, except at dog tracks, which could have an unlimited number. The machines in convenience stores, bars and restaurants would continue to give out gift certificates for up to $5 per play, but the machines in dog tracks could give unlimited cash prizes. Video poker would be prohibited in all locations.

The Christian Coalition is running radio ads saying the bill would expand gambling and create "casino-style gambling in Alabama." The ads urge listeners to call the Alabama House to try to stop the legislation.

House receptionists said Monday the Christian Coalition campaign had kept the phones busy all day, but many callers couldn't leave a specific message for their representative because they didn't know their representative's name.

Sen. Gerald Dial, the bill's sponsor, criticized the ads as being misleading and complained that state law doesn't require the Christian Coalition to disclose how much it is spending on the ad campaign and where it is getting the money.

"Our citizens deserve to know who is paying directly or indirectly for these ads," Dial, D-Lineville, said at a news conference Monday.

Giles said his organization's members are paying for the ads. He said every time his group fights a gambling issue, the other side complains that the Christian Coalition is taking casino money, but no one has ever offered any proof.

"The only thing Mississippi casinos and the Christian Coalition have in common is both our groups want to see this bill defeated," Giles said in an interview.

Dial's bill drew support Monday from the Rev. Mickey Kirkland, minister of Lighthouse Baptist Church in Montgomery and a Republican candidate for governor in 1994.

"I like what this bill stands for. It's sane and sensible," the minister said.

Kirkland joined Dial in criticizing the Christian Coalition's ads as being misleading.

"The Bible says in Jeremiah 48, verse 10, 'Cursed be he that doeth the Lord's work deceitfully.' If we are going to speak about a bill, we ought to be honest about the facts and not a little sound bite to emotionally sway the people," Kirkland said.

Lt. Gov. Steve Windom agrees with the Christian Coalition's ads. His spokesman, Ragan Ingram, said the bill increases the gambling machine prizes at dog tracks from $5 gift certificates to unlimited cash amounts. "If that's not an expansion of gambling, I don't know what is," Ingram said.