Church Groups Want Riley To Do More To Stop Gambling In Alabama

Governor Robert Riley has created a major division within the state of Alabama. His attack on the gambling industry in the state has groups on both sides of the issue heating up. Even after a potential victory last week, church groups want Riley to do even more to stop gambling in the state.

Riley won a key Supreme Court decision last week that backed his belief that video bingo gambling machines that were being used at the White Hall Bingo parlor were illegal. With that victory, came a voluntary closing of that facility by its owners.

Although White Hall may have conceded, other video gambling halls are holding on to the belief that the machines they are operating are legal. There are several other cases pending in the court system that will determine the legality of those machines.

In the meantime, gambling opponents have not sat on their win. The Alabama State Baptist Convention had members approve Governor Riley's task force that is going after the alleged illegal gambling operations. The group also called for Riley to continue his assault on the industry.

The issue could heat up in the coming months. There are expected to be several proposals in the next legislative session that would actually legalize certain forms of gambling in Alabama. The opposition groups are already lining up to speak their mind on that expansion.

"They need to go down and stand strong and oppose any of the gambling bills that may come up," said ALCAP executive Director Joe Godfrey.

Similar sentiments were echoed at the convention, but that does not mean the debate will go away. There are those who believe the governor is wrong in his assessment of what machines are legal or illegal. The debate has just begun, and the coming months will tell whether the church groups or the pro-gambling supporters will win the battle.

November 20, 2009
Posted By Terry Goodwin
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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