As vice president of finance for Alpha Kappa Psi at The University of Alabama, Parker Johnson is in charge of making fundraising opportunities for the people in the organization. A quick idea for raising money turned out to be more unattainable than he had thought.
“I know a lot of groups want to do a [March Madness] bracket fundraiser,” said Johnson, a junior studying finance and accounting.
Johnson said their regional director shot down the idea.
“That’s something that would be a quick, easy fundraiser for us,” Johnson said. “It would be a ton of fun for our brothers, but it’s something we’re not allowed to do under current law.”
Johnson said he does not see a reason why gambling should be illegal in Alabama, even though gambling has always been a contentious issue in the state.
“I think it would do a lot of good–bring in a ton of money–even if it was something as simple as a state lottery,” Johnson said.
States like Florida and Georgia have lotteries whose revenues fund education. For instance, Georgia has the HOPE Scholarship Program which is applicable to universities and technical colleges.
“If we modeled the lottery system similar to Florida’s, where the money goes toward scholarships, then that could make school much more affordable for a lot of people and open up some doors,” Johnson said.
The University of Alabama follows state law by banning anything related to gambling on campus. Housing and residential communities on campus ban all kinds of betting or raffles in residence halls.
According to the UA Code of Student Conduct, gambling is listed under “Offenses Disrupting Order or Disregarding Health and Safety,” and the UAPD Security and Fire Safety Report lists gambling alongside mental health, suicide prevention and substance abuse. However, the Tuscaloosa Police Department does not deal with gambling cases often.
Commander of the TPD’s Code Enforcement Division Lt. Darren Beams said they had three gambling cases in the past year.
“All gambling at sporting events is illegal,” Beams said.
Beams said if someone is caught gambling, it would be filed under a misdemeanor. The person could spend up to a year in jail.
“I think we can find better ways [to increase revenue], whether it’s just allocating legislative time and money,” said Alex Killough, a senior majoring in biology. “Alabama does not have a high education rate, a good healthcare rate.”
The Supreme Court recently decided to argue whether sports betting should be allowed in New Jersey. The state has been trying to legalize sports betting with Monmouth Park, a declining horse track. However, the Supreme Court decided to delay the decision. It has been reported that the court will take a look at this case again during April.
Josh Moon, an investigative reporter who worked closely with Milton McGregor, an Alabama gambling mogul, said Alabamians “by the thousands” go to these states for gambling.
Moon said it is “stupid” that gambling has not been legalized. People can get around the state’s laws by participating in online gambling, and one way of doing so is by having a virtual private network, or VPN.
“Pretty much all the other states around us have–even if it’s just lotteries–many kinds of gambling,” Johnson said. “They seem to be really beneficial for those states.”
Johnson said he could see gambling being legalized in the state eventually, with younger generations arguing for it.
“Well if you’re going out of state to buy lottery tickets then the government isn’t stopping you from gambling, and then also you’re just giving money to another state that could be in your home state instead,” Johnson said.
