The Yellowhammer State is taking a hard line against gaming activities it deems unlawful. Their focus is on digital bingo devices, which they claim bear too close a resemblance to slot machines, currently prohibited within the state. Numerous gaming establishments have been ensnared in this enforcement action, facing legal challenges across five counties. The state contends that while electronic bingo and slot machines fall under separate legal classifications federally, past judgments from the Alabama Supreme Court have established that the operation of these devices constitutes illegal gambling. The businesses that manufacture and provide the machines, along with the local authorities responsible for their licensing and oversight, are also being drawn into the legal proceedings.
Alabamas top legal official, Steve Marshall, is taking a hard line against electronic bingo, claiming the machines are unlawful gaming devices. He has initiated legal action against numerous counties, including Greene County, where his focus is Greenetrack, a significant local employer.
Luther Winn, Greenetrack’s chief executive, maintains that the machines are permissible under a constitutional amendment sanctioned by Greene County residents. He intends to contest the lawsuit to safeguard the employment and income produced by the establishment.
The legal battle has led to the dismissal of 115 Greenetrack workers, many of whom depended on the positions for their sustenance. The decline in income from Greenetrack also jeopardizes Greene County’s emergency and fire services, which rely heavily on bingo proceeds.