Alabama Supreme Court Rules Bingo

Alabama’s high court Gave the governor a victory on Friday in his fight to close down electronic bingo casinos, ruling the state’s attorney general can’t seize control of a gambling task force.

The state High Court ruled Friday that Attorney General Troy King doesn’t have the power to take over the task force set up by the governor to halt the spread of bingo machines. King has disagreed with Governor Bob Riley over the task force’s raids to remove machines at several casinos around the state.

Friday’s ruling pertained to the task force’s raid at the closed White Hall Entertainment Center in Lowndes County, but Riley said the Law will apply to all casinos in the state.

“This ruling should put the nail in the coffin for so-called electronic bingo in this state,” he said.

The Supreme Court rejected the attorney general’s argument that he has absolute power over official matters concerning the interests of the state. Instead, it said the governor has “supreme executive power” over the executive branch of government, including the attorney general.