Groups tied to sports betting and online gambling are actively funding candidates for the state legislature through a network of political action committees (PACs) ahead of the 2026 elections. Since January 2025, donation flows from outside Alabama have risen sharply, and along with them the debate has intensified over how truly free candidates are from donor influence.
Gambling could once again become a political flashpoint
A bill combining a lottery, casinos, and online gambling failed by just one vote in 2024. Such a close outcome all but guarantees that the issue will come back up on the agenda of the next legislative session. It is precisely this prospect that makes this election cycle especially attractive to the betting industry.
The main funding conduit and the scale of the money
The SV&B PAC, registered in Montgomery, has given $718,500 to various candidates since January 2025, and has received more than $1.25 million from the Sports Betting Alliance. This Virginia-based organization represents the interests of major operators: Bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings, Fanatics, and FanDuel.
Who got the biggest checks in the Senate
Among senators and contenders for Senate seats, the leaders by the amount of funds received through SV&B are:
• Jay Hovey (Republican, Auburn) — $50,000
• Doug Harwell (candidate) — $45,000
• Chris Elliott (Republican, Josephine) — $40,000
• Garlan Gudger, Senate president pro tempore (Republican, Cullman) — $35,000
All amounts cover the period since January 2025.
Hovey and the argument that money is flowing to Georgia
Hovey said his position is driven not by donations but by “common sense.” According to him, thousands of Alabama residents drive through his district every day to buy lottery tickets in Georgia and thereby add to the neighboring state’s revenue. “We need to acknowledge the game is already being played and stop sending our tax dollars out of state,” he added.
The prevalence of online betting in the U.S. is reinforced by its accessibility, including in a legal “gray” area. Now it is enough to install a mobile app on your phone to gain access to betting. That is why the popularity of bookmakers such as Megapari, Parimatch, and 1xBet has surged. After all, all of them have fully featured betting apps for different sports – from mainstream soccer to niche cricket. We confirmed this using data from the website https://1xbetcricketbetting.com/app/ about a mobile cricket-betting app from the 1xBet online casino. This software is available to U.S. residents as well, as we verified firsthand.
At the same time, the operator holds an international license, but the money still doesn’t go into the state budget. The same can be said about many other brands, including the most in demand. Many are deterred by the state’s laws or tax rates, and this prevents them from operating officially.
Elliott paraphrases Reagan; Gudger points to the right to vote
Elliott emphasized that he votes his conscience, and paraphrased Ronald Reagan: “People donate to my campaign because they support me, not because I support them.” Gudger, in turn, noted that Alabamians haven’t voted on gambling in 27 years and “deserve another chance to have their say.” Supporters of this position point to the example of how the iGaming market in Kenya has been developing successfully after regulatory measures were introduced.
The dispute over the “shadowy” committee in SD34
Former senator Rusty Glover publicly accused his opponent Doug Harwell of taking money from a “shadowy and mysterious” committee, referring to SV&B. Harwell responded that he met with PAC representatives and discussed his position: he will only support a “good bill” that would put the decision to a vote of the people.
Lomax, DraftKings, and an erroneous mailer
In the House of Representatives, one of the largest recipients of SV&B funds was James Lomax ($30,000 since January 2025), who represents HD20. His opponent is former congressman Mo Brooks.
A separate episode involves a campaign mailer from the American Conservative Fund of Virginia, which supported Lomax but mistakenly described him as a Senate candidate. According to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), the fund received $500,000 from Win for America, which was financed by a $2 million donation from DK Crown Holdings — a DraftKings corporate entity. Lomax said the campaign had nothing to do with the outside group’s mailer, and that he personally would have voted against a lottery.
Brooks accuses committees of “laundering” political money
Mo Brooks called the funding arrangement “laundering” of funds designed to conceal the true sources. “Gambling empires are betting on the candidates they think will be easiest to manipulate,” he said, promising not to take a dime from “special interests.”
New players in the donation landscape
In addition to SV&B, North Alabama PAC also received funds from the Sports Betting Alliance and also donated to state candidates. At the same time, since November 2025, the Poarch Creek Indian PAC — the political arm of the Poarch Creek Band of Indians — has directed $190,000 to lawmakers, highlighting another channel of influence.
As the 2026 elections approach, funding through political committees is increasingly becoming the subject of public scrutiny. The issue of legalizing and expanding gambling, which nearly cleared the legislative hurdle in 2024, is highly likely to return to the agenda of the next session.
