February 28th, 2011 – by Glen Farmer
Attorney General Luther Strange has come to an agreement with the three major gaming equipment manufacturers in the state to remove their machines from Alabama. This, Strange is hoping, is the beginning of the end of the long, strange trip that has mired the gambling industry in Alabama.
The bingo gambling machines in Alabama had gone sour years ago, and the problems had amplified due to former governor Bob Riley’s task force on illegal gambling. The task force had gone around the state shutting down the non-tribal bingo halls and attempting to confiscate the bingo gambling machines. While bingo is technically legal in the state, the governor attested that the bingo machines too closely resemble slot games.
“I hope this is the beginning of the end,” stated Strange according to Al.com. “I don’t know how the casino owners will react, but the fact that their machine manufacturers have left the state leaves them with very little left to work with.”
This measure will allow the manufacturers sufficient time to remove the machines from the state without having to worry about any seizures or complications.
For the most part, the bingo machines in the state were owned by three major manufacturers – International Gaming Technology, Bally Technologies, and Multimedia Games. These companies leased the machines to the casinos. The Attorney General has signed agreements with these companies that would remove the machines from the casinos.
The Alabama gambling issue may be on its way out, but gambling proponents are hoping to keep the machines running in the state.