Earlier this week, Eutaw's Greenetrack closed as it grapples with a tax bill coming in higher than its monthly revenue.
Should this precedent be applied to other non-Native American gaming facilities, it could mean the end for some of the gaming facilities in Alabama operating under legally questionable circumstances.
During an appearance on Mobile radio FM Talk 106.5's "The Jeff Poor Show" on Friday, State Sen. Chris Elliott (R-Josephine) said the ruling by Alabama's high court holding Greenetrack liable for state taxes might change some lawmakers attitudes who have opposed a straight lottery vote in the past.
"I think it has to," Elliott said. "I mean, if these particular bingo operators are going to go out of business because of the shift in how the state of Alabama has decided to interpret the tax regulations surrounding them, then they're not nearly the factor in the negotiations and discussions about lottery or additional casinos owned and operated by PCI.
"Prior to that, the legislature was having to contend with power players that you just enumerated there to try and get something to move along that may not be the case anymore. And there may be an opportunity to look back at a straight lottery that is not encumbered by all of these gaming interests that frankly don't exist anymore. That's certainly a possibility, and we'll have to see how that plays out."
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