DraftKings and FanDuel Spend $9.3 Million in Alabama GOP Primary Backing Pro-Gambling Candidates
DraftKings and FanDuel just wrote a $9.3 million check on Alabama politics -- and it could finally crack open one of the last states without legal sports betting.
A super political action committee backed by DraftKings and FanDuel poured more than $9.3 million into Alabama Republican primary races on Tuesday, becoming the highest-spending outside group in the state’s elections. The American Conservative Fund, funded by the two largest US online sportsbook operators, backed state-level candidates seen as favorable to gambling legalization, marking a significant early investment in a state that remains one of the last holdouts against legal sports wagering.
Alabama is one of the few remaining states where commercial gambling is largely prohibited. The state lacks a lottery, has no tribal gaming compacts, and has repeatedly seen legalization efforts stall in the legislature. DraftKings and FanDuel have identified Alabama as a high-value target given its population base, its passion for college football — home to the rival fanbases of Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers — and the precedent set by neighboring states that have legalized sports betting and generated substantial tax revenues.
A National Strategy Playing Out State by State
The Alabama spending is part of a broader national effort by the sports betting industry to install gambling-friendly lawmakers in state legislatures. In Georgia, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fanatics collectively spent $10 million in that state’s 2026 primary cycle, targeting lawmakers who had previously blocked sports betting legislation. Georgia has seen repeated near-misses on legalization bills, and the industry appears to have decided that changing the legislative composition is more efficient than lobbying individual incumbents.
The American Conservative Fund’s Alabama outlay — more than any other outside group in the state — outpaced even a super PAC backed by the cryptocurrency industry, which was the second-largest spender. The crypto industry’s presence highlights how multiple high-growth technology sectors are now playing the same long game of legislative investment at the state level.
What It Means for Alabama Sports Bettors
Alabama residents have no legal access to online sportsbooks operating under state regulation. The nearest legal options are across state lines, and many Alabamans have used offshore or unregulated platforms. If the industry’s investment pays off and pro-gambling lawmakers win their November races, Alabama could see a sports betting bill advance in the 2027 legislative session — though passage is never guaranteed even with favorable legislatures, as Georgia has demonstrated.
The scale of the investment signals how much DraftKings and FanDuel value untapped markets. A state with Alabama’s profile — millions of passionate football fans and no legal wagering infrastructure — represents a significant revenue opportunity once legalized. Analysts have estimated Alabama could generate $30 million or more in annual sports betting tax revenue based on population and comparable state data.
For now, residents seeking legal wagering options can review online sportsbooks in Alabama for the latest on what limited options exist, while the political process plays out following Tuesday’s primaries. The November general election results will determine whether the industry’s $9.3 million bet pays off before the next legislative window opens.