The Alabama Policy Institute launched a new website and initiative aimed at informing the public about the possible consequences of expanding gambling in Alabama this week.

API has long been an opponent of the expansion of gambling because the proposals violate all three pillars of our mission to promote free markets, limited government, and strong families. The expansion of gambling is one of the few issues that violates each of the pillars.

Proposals made through the legislative process during the last several decades have specifically picked winners and losers by statute — literally choosing which operators are allowed to operate, either by name or by location. This “grandfathering in” of current operators, many of whom have been pushing the legal envelope for decades, doesn’t allow for a maximization of freedom or revenue to state coffers.

In addition, the expansion of gambling requires a growth of governmental structures to manage gambling operations and regulation and further expands government by providing additional revenue to cushion state budgets that have grown by double digits in both size and scope since 2016.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the expansion of gambling harms families with documented and verifiable increases in multiple types of addiction, domestic violence, divorce, financial hardship, sex trafficking, petty and violent crime, child abuse and neglect, and suicide ideation.

In a state where we are striving to keep up with the mental health needs of our population, it is irresponsible and frankly disingenuous for state lawmakers to create, condone, and encourage additional addictive behavior while claiming to advocate for those struggling with mental health issues.

API’s new site has research, data, information, and articles about gambling in the state of Alabama and beyond. New research, videos, testimonials, and other content will be added to www.bettinghurtsbama.com to illustrate the significant ramifications of expanding gambling in our state.