Fourth Judicial Circuit District Attorney Robert H. Turner Jr. has issued a warning to business owners in Bibb, Dallas, Hale, Perry, and Wilcox counties to remove illegal gambling machines or face prosecution.
In a social media post this week, Turner reminded the public that slot gaming machines are illegal under Code of Alabama § 13A- 12-27, which prohibits possession of a gambling device. Violators face fines of up to $6,000 and/or up to one year in jail for a misdemeanor conviction, with the possibility of felony charges for repeat or aggravated offenses.
Turner said enforcement of the law will be forthcoming across the five counties in his jurisdiction and urged businesses to comply immediately. “Business owners are urged to remove illegal machines immediately to avoid prosecution,” Turner wrote. “If they are legalized, then do your thing. Until then, we’ve said what we’ve said.”
The warning comes as law enforcement officials across Alabama continue to wrestle with the presence of so-called “skill machines” and other devices often marketed as legal alternatives to slot machines.
Turner’s office made clear that machines found to fall under the state’s definition of a gambling device will be subject to seizure and that owners could be prosecuted.
