There are some debates where reasonable people can disagree. Gambling isn’t one of them.
Legalizing gambling in Alabama is a mistake, and we should be honest about the cost before we rush into it.
I don’t need a study, a fiscal report, or a politician’s promise to tell me what addiction does. I’ve lived it – the late nights, the broken trust, the emotional toll. My marriage was destroyed by addiction.
Addiction doesn’t care what form it takes. Whether it’s a substance, a slot machine, or a sports betting app, the outcome is the same: it isolates, consumes, and eventually destroys – particularly in relation to families.
So when I hear politicians and so-called conservatives argue that legalizing gambling will somehow “help Alabama,” I don’t hear conservative leaders. I hear politicians who are willing to sell out for the almighty dollar. Because I know they’re proposing an entire revenue model built on the backs of people who can’t stop.
We’ve all heard the arguments for gambling, and they sound perfectly polished – responsible, even.
“We’re already losing money to other states.”
“People are going to gamble anyway.”
“We can use the revenue to fund education.”
What this really means is that the state is tired of watching its citizens self-destruct somewhere else. Legalizing gambling of any kind means bringing that destruction home, so the state government can take a cut.
That is exploitation, not leadership. And calling it “education funding” doesn’t clean it up.
We don’t strengthen schools by normalizing addiction. We don’t strengthen families by inviting addiction into their homes. We don’t improve communities by normalizing a system that preys on an individual’s weakest moments. Instead, we just make the damage easier – and more profitable.
But the well-being of children is not built on revenue alone. It is built on stable families, engaged parents, strong communities, and a culture that values responsibility over risk.
You cannot fund your way out of a cultural problem – and you certainly cannot do it by relying on an industry that profits when families lose.
Since the 2018 Supreme Court decision allowing states to legalize sports betting, gambling has exploded. What was once limited to a handful of locations is now widespread, with most states offering some form of legalized betting and total wagers skyrocketing into hundreds of billions.
With that rapid expansion has come predictable consequences. Millions of Americans now struggle with severe gambling issues, and the shift to app-based access – available 24/7 with instant payouts – has made these behaviors far more difficult to control.
One of the clearest warning signs is the surge in people seeking help. Calls to gambling helplines have increased dramatically in states that have legalized sports betting, often doubling or more.
Financial distress is rising alongside participation. Studies show increases in credit card debt, missed payments, and delinquency rates among those who gamble, placing additional strain on already vulnerable households.
This is why many experts are no longer treating gambling as simple entertainment, but as a growing public health concern, one that disproportionately impacts young adults and lower-income families.
So before Alabama follows the same path, we should be asking why would we knowingly introduce something that is already producing measurable harm across the country.
What’s most frustrating about this push is that it’s so-called Republicans who are leading the charge – the same people who talk about protecting families, campaign on personal responsibility, and push for more mental health services. The same people who claim to stand for conservative values.
But there is nothing conservative about expanding access to something that tears families apart, nor is there anything conservative about asking the state to profit from it. We don’t fix cultural decay by monetizing it.
Gambling is built on the illusion of gain without work. It feeds on impulse. It thrives on desperation. And for many, it becomes a cycle almost impossible to escape.
That’s not freedom. That’s bondage packaged as opportunity. And when the government endorses it, promotes it, and builds systems around it, it sends a message that this is acceptable.
It’s not. And I’ve seen what it does to children who grow up in instability created by choices they never made.
So when someone tells me gambling will “help our schools,” I don’t see opportunity. I see more families walking the same road I did. And I won’t pretend that it ends differently just because the state is collecting tax revenue along the way.
We are not a state in financial desperation. We don’t need to introduce a new vice to fund basic responsibilities. We don’t need to follow other states down a path just because they’ve done it. And we certainly don’t need to pretend that gambling is some kind of economic development strategy. It’s a shortcut – and one that comes with consequences we cannot afford to ignore.
If we truly care about families – if we truly believe in the values we claim to stand for – then this shouldn’t even be a debate.
Alabama doesn’t need gambling. We shouldn’t legalize another addiction just because someone found a way to profit from it. And if we do, we won’t just be funding government – we’ll be funding the slow breakdown of the very families we claim to protect.
Emily Jones is a native of North Alabama and founder of the first Moms for Liberty chapter in the state seeking to fight for the preservation of parental rights and the protection of our children. Emily is a candidate running for State Board of Education in District 8.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to [email protected].
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