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Sports betting giants DraftKings and FanDuel notched early political victories in Alabama’s Republican primaries after a super PAC backed by the firms spent more than $9.3 million supporting candidates viewed as favorable to gambling legalization.
The American Conservative Fund emerged as the largest outside spender in the state’s primary elections, underscoring the growing influence of gambling operators in state-level political campaigns as the industry pushes for broader legalization across the United States.
Twelve of the 17 candidates backed by the American Conservative Fund won or were leading by significant margins during initial reports. Some of the results had yet to be finalized by judges in each county at the time of reporting.
The spending campaign represented an early test of the sports betting industry’s ability to shape state legislatures at a time when gambling companies are increasingly focusing on state politics amid gridlock in Congress.
Alabama remains one of the largest U.S. states without legalized sports betting. According to the Tax Foundation, legalized sports wagering in the state could generate an additional $283 million annually for operators, while nationwide legalization could create more than $15 billion in new revenue.
Fanatics Sportsbook joined DraftKings and FanDuel in contributing a combined $41 million this year to the American Conservative Fund for use in state-level campaigns nationwide.
Alabama received the largest share of the PAC’s spending, followed by North Carolina, where the group spent more than $3.5 million on Republican primary races.
Despite its overall success, the PAC lost its most expensive contest. Gambling opponent Rusty Glover defeated Doug Harwell in Alabama Senate District 34, despite the American Conservative Fund spending more than $2.2 million backing Harwell.
Outside spending in Alabama’s 2026 primaries increased sharply compared with the 2022 midterm cycle, with issue-focused groups accounting for most media expenditures.
The influx of gambling-linked political money also drew criticism from conservative organizations in the state. Nine Alabama-based conservative groups asked state officials on May 5 to investigate the funding, while another PAC funded by the Sports Gambling Alliance contributed more than $1.9 million directly to Alabama candidates.
“The expansion of this industry in Alabama is a bad bet for our families, our economy, and our state’s soul,” Stephanie Smith, Chief Executive of the Alabama Policy Institute, wrote in an opinion article this month. “Every single voter should look past the glossy mailers and clever campaign ads to ask: Who is paying for this campaign, and what do they expect in return?”
Efforts to legalize gambling in Alabama narrowly failed in 2024 after legislation fell one vote short in the state senate.