Georgia Jumps Back Into Sports Betting Fray

• For the seventh year in a row, Georgia lawmakers will consider sports betting
• A resolution to legalize sports betting and casino gaming has been introduced in the Senate
• The legislation requires voters to approve a constitutional amendment in 2026

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Once more unto the breach.

As expected, Georgia lawmakers will wade back into the sports betting (and casino gaming) fray for 2025, as a resolution to legalize both has been introduced in the Senate.

It’s the seventh year in a row the state will consider the legalization of online and retail sports betting.

Voters To Decide in 2026

Sen. Carden Summers (R-13), Sen. Billy Hickman (R-4), Sen. Brandon Beach (R-21), and Sen. Lee Anderson (R-24) introduced SR 131 to legalize sports betting and casino gaming in the state through a constitutional amendment.

If approved in both the Georgia Senate and House of Representatives, state voters would have the final say on legalization. However, the resolution will require a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate to be approved.

Voters would see the following question on a ballot in 2026:

“Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to authorize the General Assembly to provide by law for the operation and regulation of sports betting and casino gambling activities in this state?”

If approved, it’s likely that sports betting would launch in the Peach State sometime in 2027.

Georgia Sports Betting Bill Details

The legislation would allow for up to eight casino licenses in Georgia. Sports betting license details, such as the number of operators allows and the license costs, were not included in the first iteration of the resolution.

The legislation calls for the creation of a Georgia Gaming Commission to regulate and license casino and sports betting gaming in the state.

Both casino gaming and sports betting would be taxed at a rate of 20% of gross revenues. Gaming and sports betting revenues would be deposited into the “Georgia Gaming Proceeds Fund.”

The first $2 billion of revenue paid into the Georgia Gaming Proceeds Fund shall be evenly appropriated by the General Assembly to the governing authorities of each county.

After the first $2 billion in revenue, the rest will be earmarked as such:

• $500 million in additional funding “will be evenly appropriated by the General Assembly to the governing authorities of each county in this state until a total of at least $5 billion has been appropriated”
• At least 5% of any additional revenue will be appropriated for programs and services to prevent problem gaming in individuals and to treat those with problem gaming habits

House Held up Efforts in 2024

In 2024, the Georgia Senate quickly approved a bill to legalize online sports betting. SB 386, a bill to legalize online sports betting, and SR 579, a resolution legalizing sports betting through a constitutional amendment, were both approved early in the legislation session.

However, discussions on the bill stalled in the House and eventually died before the session concluded.

Sen. Clint Dixon’s (R-45) bill, SB 386, aimed to legalize online sports betting for 16 license holders in the state. The legislation set the sports betting tax rate at 20% of adjusted gross revenue. Licenses cost $1 million annually to renew and applicants would have paid a $100,000 application fee. It allowed for bets on college sports.

The bill was approved 35-15 by members of the Senate in early February 2024, but amended to require a constitutional amendment before going into effect. Sen. Bill Cowsert (R-16) introduced the amendment and later submitted SR 579, which required Georgia voters to approve a constitutional amendment in the November general election to legalize sports betting. The Georgia Senate passed SR 579 in late February by a 41-12 vote, surpassing the required three-fifths majority.

The bills never moved out of House committee.