Gambling News by Gambling Headquarters

The man who brought sweepstakes gaming to Alabama came to its defense. Last week, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that the video gaming machines are illegal, but Birmingham Race Track owner Milton McGregor fired back. McGregor said that last week's 8-0 decision by the Alabama Supreme Court was based on politics, not the law. Ten months after a Jefferson County judge ruled sweepstakes machines were legal, the state Supreme Court overturned the decision. The court claims that the machines are a disguised version of slot machines, which violate state gambling laws. This decision is not only affecting the Birmingham Race Track but dozens of smaller operations all over Jefferson County, and on Monday, McGregor accused at least half the justices of being influenced by Mississippi's casinos, which are McGregor's biggest competition. "What the court (did by) issuing this decision on sweepstakes in Alabama is intellectually dishonest and wrong, and they know it," said McGregor. NBC 13 contacted Chief Drayton Neighbors' office to get his reaction to McGregor's claims and he had no comment. McGregor plans to ask the court to reconsider its decision regarding the machines and until there is a decision made on that request, the sheriff's department will not enforce the ruling.