Alabama Horse Racing Betting
Online racebooks and simulcast wagering constitute the last vestiges of the Alabama horse racing betting industry.
Live horse racing no longer occurs in Alabama, but fans have plenty of pari-mutuel wagering options via online racebooks. For instance, some Alabama horse racing betting sites cover nearly 500 racetracks in the US and abroad.
Additionally, lawmakers have considered legislation establishing a statewide horse racing commission, formally authorizing advance deposit wagering, and expanding other legal gambling options in the state. Read on for the full rundown of horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering in Alabama.
Alabama Horse Racing Betting Sites
$200 Welcome BonusTwinSpires Offer Code: BET200
Void where prohibited. Terms and conditions apply. Offer for TwinSpires Racing only. See TwinSpires.com for details. Must be 18+ (21+ where applicable). For help with a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
$150 Deposit BonusAmWager Promo Code: BUSA150
Promotional offer valid and continues until further notice.
Open to new AmWager account holders who have not previously opened an AmWager account. Individuals may only have one (1) AmWager account and may only qualify for a signup promotion one (1) time.
The First Deposit Match Bonus promotion applies to the first deposit made; any subsequent deposits will not apply.
The amount of the first deposit will determine the amount of the bonus and bets that must be placed to earn the bonus. For example, to qualify for the maximum bonus of $150 an initial deposit of $150 is required and total bets must equal $150 or more within 30 days of sign up. Cancelled wagers and refunded wagers are not eligible and will not be counted towards the promotion.
The total promotional wagering credits will be credited to the AmWager account in a single deposit within seven (7) business days of meeting the betting requirements for this promotion. Any promotional wagering credits deposited to a player’s account must be wagered and cannot be withdrawn from the account. Any winnings from those wagers are cash and can be withdrawn.
Any portion of the promotional credits unused expires after 30 days.
Account must remain in good standing to be eligible for all promotions. Returned deposits during the promotional period will cancel eligibility to receive promotional wagering credit.
Limit one promotional offer per household.
50% up to $300Iron Bets Racing Promo Code: BUSA
18/21+, T&Cs Apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
There are at least eight major horse racing betting sites that accept Alabama customers:
- Twinspires
- AmWager
- Xpressbet
- 1/ST Bet
- NYRA Bets
- Hollywood Races
- Watchandwager
- Keeneland Select
- Iron Bets Racing
There are likely others, but the above racebook apps are the most prominent and trusted.
There’s no legal mechanism for advance deposit wagering platforms to acquire pari-mutuel licenses in Alabama, but all of the above operators have licenses in other states.
For example, AmWager holds advance deposit wagering licenses in Oregon, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Montana, New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Alabama Horse Racing Tracks
Live horse racing is legal in Alabama, but there are no longer any active race tracks.
The same applies to greyhound racing, although four former dog tracks offer horse and greyhound simulcast wagering.
Alabama Off-Track Betting
Alabama has four off-track betting facilities (OTBs), each located at a former race track.
Birmingham Race Course
1000 John Rogers Drive
Birmingham, AL 35210
Birmingham Race Course ended live horse racing in 1995 and live greyhound racing in 2020.
However, the facility still offers simulcast wagering seven days a week from 11 AM to 1 AM. Customers must be 19 or older to place pari-mutuel wagers at Birmingham Race Course.
Greene County Entertainment Center
524 Co Rd 208
Eutaw, AL 35462
Greene County Entertainment Center, formerly GreeneTrack, held live greyhound races until 1996. Today, it offers legal simulcast wagering seven days a week from 10 AM until 12 AM.
VictoryLand
8680 Co Rd 40 (Exit 22 on I-85)
Shorter, AL 36075
VictoryLand offered live greyhound racing until 2011 but now provides horse and greyhound simulcasting seven days a week. VictoryLand Casino is open 24 hours a day.
Mobile Greyhound Park
7101 Old Pascagoula Rd
Theodore, AL 36582
Mobile Greyhound Park held live greyhound races until 2017 and is now a full-time simulcasting facility. It’s open seven days a week from 10:30 AM to 11:00 PM (8:00 PM on Sundays). Guests must be 18 or older to place pari-mutuel wagers at Mobile Greyhound Park.
Historical Horse Racing Machines in Alabama
Historical horse racing machines are considered illegal gambling in Alabama except in counties that have approved pari-mutuel wagering.
Attorney General opinions in 2001, 2008, and 2019 have confirmed historical horse racing machines are legal if approved by their host counties’ racing commissions.
Three venues offer historical horse racing machines today:
- VictoryLand
- Birmingham Race Course Casino
- Greene County Entertainment Center
Alabama Online Horse Racing Betting Laws
Three sections in the Alabama State Code govern pari-mutuel wagering in Alabama:
The Alabama Constitution treats pari-mutuel wagering as a game of skill, but state law does not specifically address advance deposit wagering.
However, lawmakers have introduced multiple measures to regulate online horse racing betting and create a racing commission to oversee the activity.
One of the more recent bills to address online horse racing betting emerged in 2024. Senate Bill 334, also known as the Horse Racing Modernization Act.
Although pari-mutuel wagering is legal in Alabama, the state lacks a regulatory mechanism for online racebooks. The bill would address that issue by creating the Alabama Racing Commission to regulate pari-mutuel wagering and issue licenses to race tracks, simulcast wagering facilities, and advance deposit wagering operators.
Other bills introduced in recent years would significantly expand legal gambling in Alabama, and most have included provisions to formally legalize and regulate horse racing betting.
In the meantime, horse racing betting sites continue to accept Alabama customers despite the lack of regulatory oversight. For this reason, BettingUSA strongly urges readers to use online racebooks licensed in other states.
At a minimum, Alabama horse racing betting sites licensed in other states provide assurances that state regulators have investigated their business models, security protocols, and financials.
Alabama Horse Racing Betting FAQ
Wes Burns has more than a decade’s worth of experience as a writer, researcher and analyst in the legal gambling industry and is co-founder of BettingUSA.com. As a former professional online poker player, Wes approaches his work from the viewpoint of players.