This month, I suggested in words and in an image provided by the amazing Yellowhammer art team that Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall should shut down allegedly illegal casinos.
Gambling didn’t happen this session — Let’s just enforce the law
The response from elected officials and other leaders were all pretty much the same: “Yeah, you are right but maybe the bulldozer was a bit much.”
One of those elected officials was none other than the attorney general himself.
Marshall appeared on WVNN last week to discuss this matter in-depth and what can be done about it.
Marshall agrees that the casinos operating slot machines in this state are operating illegally. He also agrees that the Alabama Supreme Court has ruled those slot machines illegal, and that gives him the right to shut those casinos down.
Then it gets complicated.
Driving a bulldozer through the doors sounds fun and all, but Marshall is operating on a different path.
Marshall noted, “We are currently in litigation against all of them.”
The AG’s office has a trial to shut down Victory Land in June, and is going after a Lowndes County casino in court in July.
While this is all part of the process, I think we can all agree this has been going on far too long, and Marshall seems to agree, but he would remind you that these are court cases that were filed in 2017.
So, the AG’s office is currently moving on the matter; even though these places are clearly operating illegally, the process of shutting them down or bringing them into compliance through the courts is still a lengthy process.
Marshall expressed hope that the legislature would clear up this matter, either by legitimizing these casinos or affirming they are gangster casinos, which they did not.
The process is still moving forward, but the conclusion may not come soon.
However, it appears that as long as those casinos, of questionable legal status, are allowed to operate, a deal could continue to be hard to come by.
Listen:
Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 AM weekdays on WVNN and on Talk 99.5 from 10AM to noon.
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