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One of the hottest topics in Dallas County is the appearance of electronic gambling machines over the last several months.

Rep. Prince Chestnut, D-Selma, said that gambling machines are not usually allowed in the state.

“Games of chance are generally prohibited in the Alabama Constitution,” Chestnut said. “If you have a facility where the house always wins, it’s most likely a game of chance. Therefore, these facilities were not intended to be all throughout the state. Those counties that have constitutional amendments are permitted to have charity bingo. However, the Supreme Court of Alabama has restricted these facilities to paper bingo except those where electronic bingo is mentioned in the constitutional amendment for that specific county.” 

At the November 28 Selma City Council meeting, Selma Police Chief Kenta Fulford sent a letter to several local businesses, warning them that their electronic gambling machines were unlawful. 

Montgomery attorney Michael Strickland, representing one of the establishments that received the letter, told the city council on November 28 that his client is operating in the open and has paid the city licensing fees for the machines.    

At the meeting, Councilman Clay Carmichael said gambling machines can only be lawful if the county has an act from the Alabama Legislature allowing them, and Dallas County doesn’t have one. The city has an ordinance going back to 2002 that addresses gambling.

Carmichael made a motion to tighten gambling restrictions by rescinding that ordinance. The council voted to table the motion.