End Of Gambling Task Force May Be Near In Alabama

Governor Robert Riley has made his intentions known for the better part of the past year when it comes to gambling in Alabama. The governor wants all gambling eliminated. Attorney General Troy King has been more diplomatic in his approach to the issue.

On Wednesday, the governor and attorney general met for around ninety minutes to discuss the Task Force on Illegal Gambling that was created by Riley last year. After leaving the meeting, AG King said that he has made no decision on the task force's future.

Among the ideas that are being discussed is King taking control of the task force. A judge in Birmingham this week has ruled that if he chooses to do so, King can exercise his right to oversee the task force.

That ruling may have calmed Riley for the moment. in the past, Riley has been adamant about his position to continue forward with the raids on gambling establishments in Alabama. Today, however, King described the meeting as productive.

A decision will most likely not come until late this week or early next week. King admitted that after the Wednesday meeting, both he and the governor will have to consider everything that was discussed. King has taken offense with the way the task force has operated since coming into existence.

The gambling raids have divided the state. There are those who are in the corner of the governor, and others who would like to see the raids stopped. Thousands of jobs are at stake if the gambling operations are shut down, and that seems to be the main concern of many Alabama residents.

Last week, VictoryLand, one of the biggest employers in the state, was aided by a judge's ruling prohibiting the task force from raiding the establishment. After the restraining order was in place, VictoryLand re-opened over the weekend.

Country Crossings, another of the large gaming facilities, remained closed on Wednesday. Officials of Country Crossings has said they will wait for lawmakers to sort out the issue of electronic bingo before re-opening.

March 11, 2010
Posted By Terry Goodwin
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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