Charles Barkley says Alabama should have started a lottery 30 years ago, while its neighbors send billions to schools
Charles Barkley wants Alabama to stop holding out. The Auburn basketball great and NBA Hall of Famer said Alabama should legalize sports betting and start a state lottery, arguing the money would help public schools, Alabama Reporter reported. He made the case on The Next Round, a sports talk show that shared the clip October 1.
Asked why Alabama still has no legal sports betting, Barkley called it “just silly.” He said the state “should have had the lottery 30 years ago,” and that it “would really improve our public school system.” He also said the people blocking it send their own children to private schools, though he did not name anyone, and warned that other states are getting “so far ahead of us.” People will gamble either way, he argued, so the state might as well collect the money.
Alabama is one of five states with no state lottery, along with Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah. Lawmakers came close in 2024. The House approved a package that included a lottery, casinos, and sports betting, and a narrower compromise with a lottery and electronic gaming machines but no sports betting passed the House 72-29. It drew 20 votes in the Senate, one short of the 21 needed for a constitutional amendment, WSFA reported. No gambling bill got serious consideration in the 2026 session.
| Neighboring state | Lottery sales, fiscal 2025 | Money to education and state programs |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | $9.13 billion | $2.16 billion |
| Georgia | $6.02 billion | $1.47 billion |
| Tennessee | $1.83 billion | $412 million |
Those three neighbors alone sold $17 billion in lottery tickets in fiscal 2025 and returned about $4 billion to education and other state programs, according to their audited reports. Mississippi, Alabama's neighbor to the west, also runs a lottery. Georgia alone sells more than 200 scratch-off games.
Sources
Alabama Reporter: Charles Barkley urges Alabama to legalize sports betting, establish lottery
WSFA: Gambling legislation stumbles in Alabama Senate, lawmakers delay vote
Georgia Lottery Corporation: 2025 financial report
Florida Lottery: 2025 financial report
Tennessee Comptroller: Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation audit, fiscal 2025
Wikimedia Commons: Charles Barkley at the 2019 NBA Finals (photo)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What did Charles Barkley say about an Alabama lottery?
On the sports talk show The Next Round, Barkley said Alabama should have started a lottery 30 years ago, that it would improve public schools, and that the state should legalize sports betting too. The clip was shared October 1, 2026.
Does Alabama have a state lottery?
No. Alabama is one of five states without a state lottery, along with Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah. A 2024 plan for a lottery and electronic gaming passed the Alabama House but fell one vote short in the Senate.
How much do Alabama's neighbors raise from their lotteries?
In fiscal 2025, Georgia's lottery sent $1.47 billion to education on $6.02 billion in sales, Florida's sent $2.16 billion on $9.13 billion, and Tennessee's sent $412 million on $1.83 billion, according to their financial reports.
Jessie Jurado is a news writer who covers new scratch-off launches, state lottery guides, taxes on winnings, news, and much more. She joined ScratchCheck in 2026 and writes the site's state-by-state coverage.
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