Alabama Attorney General Announces 'Victory' Over Illegal Gambling

An Alabama Supreme Court decision will force Victoryland, Southern Star, and White Hall Casinos to cease gambling operations, according to the state’s attorney general.

Attorney General Steve Marshall on Friday announced a “major victory” over illegal casino-gambling enterprises in Lowndes and Macon counties.

The Alabama Supreme Court issued its opinion in State v. Epic Tech, LLC on Friday.

In the case, the Alabama Supreme Court unanimously agreed with the Attorney General that the Southern Star, White Hall, and Victoryland casinos are illegal gambling enterprises, granting the State of Alabama’s request to prohibit the casinos from offering so-called electronic bingo.

“The Alabama Supreme Court’s opinion makes clear what my office has maintained from the start: these gambling enterprises are not only patently illegal under Alabama law, but also a menace to public health, morals, safety, and welfare,” said Attorney General Marshall. “Today’s decision will forbid the Southern Star, White Hall, and Victoryland casinos from offering their slot-machine gambling to the public.

“In the five years since I filed lawsuits to cease illegal gambling in five different counties across the state," he added, "I have prevailed in court against one deep-pocketed gambling enterprise after another: in 2017, against the River City casino in Morgan County; in 2018, against the Center Stage casino in Houston County; and, today, against the Southern Star and White Hall casinos in Lowndes County and the Victoryland casino in Macon County.”

This is the second major gambling-related court victory for the state in the past three months. In June, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled in favor of the attorney general in the case of Alabama Department of Revenue v. Greenetrack, Inc., ordering Greenetrack to pay $76 million in unpaid taxes and interest owed to the Alabama Department of Revenue for profits the casino reaped from illegal gaming.

The Attorney General’s separate lawsuit to cease illegal gambling at the Greenetrack casino in Greene County continues to be adjudicated in court.

Alabama is one of the least gambling-friendly states in the country. The state is in a minority of jurisdictions that hasn’t legalized sports betting in any form. That’s despite popular college football teams and with residents traveling outside of the state to bet.

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