

The casinos claim hundreds of jobs will be lost by deeming electronic bingo at the three casinos unlawful. The casinos said they’re adhering to Alabama’s charitable bingo laws, and that ruling the machines obsolete would cause “irreparable harm and damages that could equal to millions of dollars.” Marshall has been contending for years that the more than 1,000 electronic bingo machines found in the three casinos are unlicensed gaming apparatuses. But Marshall contended that the casinos’ electronic gaming terminals don’t meet the standards of what the legislature sought to legalize in 1980 when the charitable bingo law was passed. The casinos argued that since the revenue generated by the electronic bingo machines goes to charity, the devices constitute charitable gaming, which is legal for qualifying nonprofits in the state.


Lower circuit courts had refused to approve Marshall’s requests for injunctive relief, ordering the Southern Star, White Hall, and VictoryLand casinos to suspend their operations. The Alabama Supreme Court agreed to review a 2017 lawsuit brought against three electronic bingo casinos by Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall (R).
