Alabama Tribal Gaming

Tribal gaming in Alabama is limited to high-stakes bingo facilities. These facilities also offer Class II gaming machines. The facilities operate despite continued opposition from the state's attorney general.

The Poarch Band of Creek Indians had planned to open a $300 million complex in Montgomery in 2007, to be managed by Harrah's Entertainment Inc. In preparation for construction, a temporary facility was opened on 4 March 2005. In August 2006, the Alabama Attorney General requested that the Department of the Interior (DOI) not grant the tribe rights to expand its planned casino. The DOI declined the request and the tribe held its formal groundbreaking ceremony for the resort in December 2007. The permanent facility opened in January 2009.

In 2013, Alabama Attorney General Troy King sued the Poarch Band for running electronic bingo machines that were contrary to state law. The lawsuit, similar to ones filed against charity bingo operators, alleges the electronic bingo machines were Class III machines (essentially slot machines) and not bingo. A judge dismissed the lawsuit in 2014, saying the state has no regulatory powers on Indian land.

Indian casino revenue in Alabama has been increasing each year since 2008.

Since Indian gaming does not fall under state law, the tribe is benefiting from several years of aggressive anti-gambling enforcement and shutdowns of non-Indian sites such as VictoryLand and Greenetrack.

The Poarch Band of Creek Indians has several casinos and racetracks, operating under Wind Creek Hospitality, a tribe-owned company. Three of its casinos are located on sovereign tribal land in Alabama: Wind Creek Atmore, Wind Creek Montgomery and Wind Creek Wetumpka. Beyond its reservation, the tribe owns majority stakes in Mobile Greyhound Park, Pensacola Greyhound Park and Creek Entertainment Gretna.

The state of Alabama continued its attempts to shut down the Poarch Band's facilities in 2015. Amid a state budget shortfall, the tribe offered the state revenue sharing in exchange for a gaming compact to operate Class III gaming, but the offer was not accepted.

In September 2016, VictoryLand, a greyhound track, reopened with more gaming machines.