Basketball legend Charles Barkley has expressed interest in becoming a member of a possible on line casino possession group in his house state of Alabama if the state proceeds with legalizing industrial casinos.
“Hell yeah,” the TNT broadcaster informed AL.com. “I would love to be part of it.”
“Sir Charles” is not any stranger to on line casino playing. In 2023, the creator of the e book Barkley: A Biography famous the Hall of Famer’s household ran an underground playing home and bar to assist pay the payments. In 2007, he admitted to shedding $10 million at a on line casino, together with $2.5 million throughout a six-hour blackjack session. He additionally mentioned that he’s suffered a seven-figure loss in a single day on as much as 20 completely different events.
Barkley has been identified to hit the poker tables and performed within the World Series of Poker’s Ante Up for Africa charity occasion in 2009 and in a few of Michael Jordan’s well-known poker video games that included Scottie Pippen and Magic Johnson.
Sen. Greg Albritton has backed earlier failed gaming growth efforts within the state and is now cobbling collectively sufficient help within the state senate. He sees including gaming as a method to usher in further state income from a follow that Alabama residents are already taking part in both in neighboring states or by way of on-line unregulated gaming choices.
“Alabama has a moral obligation to take control of this industry that’s just expanding like crazy,” he informed AL.com. “You look at sports gaming. Sports gaming is on a runaway track. Everyone’s involved in it. It’s in every medium that you see. And we’re just sitting back watching it grow, doing nothing about it.”
Some African-American lawmakers are searching for Black possession of at the least one on line casino if laws is accredited. Barkley, who performed at Auburn University, looks as if a pure match.
“Charles is a favorite in the state,” mentioned Sen. Bobby Singleton, who helps a gaming initiative. “I would love to see a group with someone like Mr. Barkley get involved with others to have real ownership, a true 51% that belongs to us, and make sure we could build a destination spot here in the state and bring forth the fruits of that industry to our community.”
The Poarch Band of Creek Indians operates three tribal casinos within the state. However, these casinos solely supply slot machines. The tribe additionally expressed help for on line casino growth, including a state lottery, and sports activities playing.
Albritton launched a invoice in 2024, however gaming efforts in the end failed regardless of the Senate approving a compromise invoice that didn’t embody sports activities betting. Barkley not solely believes casinos needs to be legalized within the state but additionally helps sports activities betting. His reasoning follows comparable reasoning to Albritton and different supporters: “We need that money.”
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