In Alabama, gambling is illegal, technically.
According to the state Criminal Code, any game of chance is strictly forbidden. That means if a game requires no skill to play or win - and you make a bet on it - you are on the wrong side of the law. A lottery, casino games, and bin- go machines all fall into the category of games of chance.
However, betting on games that require skill, such as greyhound racing or friendly wagers on a football game, is legal. Also, if a game of chance takes place on a Native American reservation, it's probably all right. We say probably because the state is currently suing the Poarch Band of Creek Indians in order to close their casinos.
But we're wondering why it all can't be legal.
All you have to do is look at the states with legal gambling to see how we could benefit. Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee certainly aren't paradigms of economic growth, but they seem to have a leg up over Alabama.
Specifically, Georgia, home of the HOPE Scholarship, appears to value education a little more than Alabama does. Since 2006, HOPE has awarded more than $3,000,000 to approximately 900,000 students, and it's completely funded by a lottery.
Alabama, on the other hand, only has a handful of grants and scholarships available, and the competition for each makes it even harder to qualify.\0x2028So we say it's time to get rid of the draconian restrictions on what could be a boon to our public education system, from kindergarten to college.
We understand the money from gambling could be misappropriated - Alabama is certainly not a corruption-free state. But we believe if it can work in Georgia, which has just as spotted a past as Alabama, it can work here. Given the continued national economic downslide and the recent sequestration measures, it certainly wouldn't hurt to have a few extra million lying around.
Of course, legalizing gambling, or even just a lottery wouldn't solve all our financial woes, not even close - Alabama's state debt as of august 2012 was $60.57 billion - but we can't imagine a situation where the extra revenue wouldn't be necessary.
We doubt the average Alabamian is going sell his or her children to buy lottery tickets, and hardcore gamblers will do what they do with or without anyone's permission. Legalizing gam- bling is not going to turn the state into a hot bed of heathen activity.
Simply put, tuition is ridiculous and our public schools are falling apart, and we don't have the money to fix the situation. We see gambling, specifically a lottery, as the best way to get that money.
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