Betting Moves Into Alabama Politics

The American Conservative Fund super PAC, backed by major sportsbook operators DraftKings and FanDuel, spent more than $9.3 million supporting candidates during Alabama’s Republican primary elections. Preliminary results show that 12 of the 17 candidates backed by the fund won or held commanding leads. The large-scale campaign is directly tied to efforts to advance sports betting legalization in a state that remains one of the largest in the U.S. without such legislation.

Some results had not been officially certified at the county level at the time of publication, so the final picture may change slightly.

What Stands Behind American Conservative Fund

American Conservative Fund is a so-called super PAC (super political action committee). It is a structure that may raise and spend virtually unlimited sums on advocacy for or against candidates, provided it operates formally independently of campaigns. In the current electoral cycle, the fund became the largest outside sponsor in Alabama’s primary elections, clearly demonstrating the growing influence of the gambling industry on political processes at the state level.

Which Candidates the Sportsbook Giants Backed

Of the 17 candidates supported by American Conservative Fund, 12 won or held notable leads based on initial vote counts. The fund deliberately selected candidates whom observers assessed as favorable to gambling legalization. However, final certification of results in several counties has not yet been completed, and officials continue to approve the tallies.

The Campaign’s Money Machine by the Numbers

Alabama received the largest share of the fund’s spending nationwide. More than $9.3 million was directed toward Republican primary elections in the state. North Carolina was the second-largest venue, where the American Conservative Fund spent over $3.5 million on similar races.

Nationwide, the fund’s financial base looks even more impressive. DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fanatics Sportsbook collectively contributed $41 million in 2026 to run campaigns across various states. The potential economic return explains operators’ willingness to spend such significant sums:

• sports betting legalization in Alabama could generate approximately $283 million in annual revenue for operators;

• full nationwide legalization, according to the Tax Foundation, would create a market worth more than $15 billion.

The popularity of gambling entertainment in states where legalization has not yet occurred has shown steady growth for several years, as evidenced by data from numerous industry sources. Audience interest extends well beyond sports betting and encompasses traditional casino formats such as slots, crash games, roulette, and various arcade-style gambling games. The trend also includes Asian table games. For example, when we decided to go to this page with a Sic Bo overview, it turned out that the popularity of this dice game has grown significantly in recent years, particularly in the online format.

This dynamic confirms why major operators are willing to invest tens of millions in political lobbying: demand for gambling forms well before its official legalization, and companies seek to capture the market first. Operators also select markets with the most favorable tax conditions. Panama itself is revising its gambling winnings tax precisely to become more attractive not only to players but also to operators.

The Fund’s Most Expensive Loss

Against the backdrop of overall success, one race proved a painful exception. In Senate District 34, gambling expansion opponent Rusty Glover defeated Doug Harwell, despite American Conservative Fund investing more than $2.2 million in support of the latter. This turned out to be the most costly and the only truly failed episode of the campaign.

Testing the Industry’s Influence on State Legislation

The primary results fit into a broader strategy: shaping state legislature compositions favorable to sports betting legalization amid legislative stagnation at the federal level. Alabama remains one of the largest untapped markets in the country, and each new legislative seat won by a sympathetic lawmaker brings the industry closer to its goal.

Outside spending in Alabama’s 2026 cycle has grown noticeably compared to the 2022 midterm elections. The bulk of media spending came from groups advancing specific issue agendas rather than from traditional party structures.

Requests for Review and Parallel Funding

On May 5, nine conservative organizations in the state asked authorities to conduct a review of the campaign’s funding sources. Separately, another committee linked to the Sports Gambling Alliance contributed more than $1.9 million directly to candidates in Alabama.

The criticism also found public expression. Alabama Policy Institute president Stephanie Smith wrote in an op-ed: “Expanding this industry in Alabama is a bad bet for our families, our economy, and the soul of our state. Every voter should look past the glossy mailers and slick advertising and ask: who is paying for this campaign and what do they expect in return?”

The One Vote That Changed Everything a Year Earlier

In 2024, a gambling legalization bill in Alabama came within a single vote of passage but failed in the state Senate. The current primary results show that the industry learned from that defeat and has substantially increased its lobbying activity, seeking to secure the right balance of power ahead of future votes in the state legislature.