Governor Riley Loses Latest Legal Battle With Gambling In Alabama

After Governor Robert Riley won a legal battle a couple of months ago in Alabama, his office began telling anyone that would listen that video gambling machines in the state were illegal. On Wednesday morning, the governor received a jolt of reality from a Houston County judge.

The judge issued a cour order in the early morning hours of Wednesday, prohibiting the governor's Task Force on Illegal Gambling from carrying out a raid that was set for later Wednesday morning.

County Crossing was set to be the site of the raid, and the $87 million bingo and country music complex had already shut down on Tuesday evening in preparation of the raid. By Wednesday afternoon, the establishment was back up and running.

Governor Riley contends that all video gambling bingo machines in the state of Alabama are illegal. Various judges, however, have ruled differently. As for Houston County, there are bonds that are due that were created for the building of Country Crossing.

The judge ruled in his order Wednesday that a raid on the establishment, "would do irreparable harm," to the bond transaction. The developers of Country Crossing have insinuated that there are political reasons behind Governor Riley's task force.

A hearing has been set for January 20th in the latest battle with Country Crossing. The judge ruled that no raid would be permitted until that hearing is complete.

Riley drew the ire of many Alabama residents with his inconsistency regarding gambling in the state. While presenting the idea of being anti-gambling, Riley made a wager with Florida Governor Charlie Crist involving the SEC title game between Alabama and Florida.

Riley's office tried to ease the controversy by saying the governor never had intentions of collecting on the bet, but critics have pointed out that last year a similar bet was made and paid by Riley when Florida beat Alabama.

January 6, 2010
Posted By April Gardner
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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