Alabama Lt Gov. Hopeful Says He Is All For Lottery

Alabama Rep. Phillip Ensler, a Democrat, has officially thrown his hat into the political ring, running for governor, hoping to unseat the incumbent and take the state’s second-highest office. 

Alabama’s New Political Hopeful Sees a Future for the Lottery in the State

As one of the youngest elected officials, Ensler has been bringing fresh ideas to the state legislature, while also proposing a few out-of-the-box concepts. Ensler is joined by former US Sen. Doug Jones, a fellow Democrat, who is going after the job of Kay Ivey. 

Ensler has already begun to lay out plans for his agenda, arguing that he would focus on solving real estate problems rather than address issues such as DEI, banning books from schools and libraries, or renaming the Gulf of Mexico, a jab at the Republican Party’s newfound megalomania under the influence of President Donald Trump. 

While he has a more detailed idea about what his agenda would look like as an lt governor, Ensler is also going to work on two gaming-related issues – the fact that Alabama is one of a few states to lack a lottery, as well as sports betting. 

Ensler believes that the introduction of a lottery could have a distinct and positive impact on the public purse, helping plug fiscal holes. 

“I hear from people all over the state. Democrat, Republican, white, black, poor, more affluent, who say it’s crazy that we don’t have a state lottery. People cross over state lines to buy lotto tickets, and we’re missing out on hundreds of millions of dollars that could be used for education or healthcare,” he said in an interview for Alabama Political Reporter, a local media outlet. 

Changing Things Would Require State-Wide Support

Lotteries have been used by states to raise funds for a variety of public causes, and have one of the lowest addiction factors, meaning that you are unlikely to develop a gambling addiction because you participated in the latest lottery draw or bought a scratch-off ticket.

At the same time, Alabama is also missing sports betting, but Ensler has not said anything to suggest that he may be hurrying to change that. Regardless, there have been pitches by individual lawmakers to have sports betting legalized.

Even then, Alabama would most likely have to hold a referendum on the introduction of expanded gambling, as it would require a change to the state constitution. 

Democrats are not the only ones calling for the legalization of sports gambling in Alabama, with Donald Trump Jr, son of the incumbent President of the United States, also weighing in on the debate back in October.