HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — The Alabama House and Senate have passed sharply different gaming bills this legislative session.

This week, three members from each body are set to begin meeting in a conference committee to try and find a compromise bill that can pass both houses.

The House bill includes sports betting, seven new casinos and an education lottery. It is projected to raise between $600 million to $900 million annually.

The Senate version doesn’t call for new casinos, and lottery proceeds would be divided up by the Alabama Legislature. The Senate bill does not include sports betting and it has a revenue projection between $400 million to $500 million per year.

Harvest-area Alabama Rep. Andy Whitt is a co-sponsor of the House bill, and he will be part of the conference committee. Whitt said he believes there is still time to pass a gaming bill this year.

Whitt said one thing has been made clear to him during the gaming debate.

“The people of Alabama want to vote on an educational lottery,” he said. “It’s the most talked about thing that I’m approached with by constituents day in and day out… So, I think an education lottery, a lot of people have high expectations that we’re going to come out with something to allow people to vote on it.”

Whitt said the value of an education lottery is clear.

“Tennessee, last year, raised $450 million in lottery proceeds for their education and funded over 140,000 scholarships through that, the Tennessee Lottery,” Whitt said. “A large portion of that was funded through Alabama citizens as you know, crossing the line.

Whitt remains optimistic about a gaming bill getting passed this year.

“The House worked on this bill 14 months, I think the Senate worked on it three weeks,” he said. “Therein lies the problem, the Senate has had very little conversation with members of the House, regarding this issue, so hopefully we can find some common ground.”