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.
