Georgia Considers Sports Betting & Casino Gambling

Georgia is one of the few states that has not passed sports betting legislation, nor does it have commercial casinos; however, that could be changing—just don’t hold your breath.

Committee Studies Gaming Bills

Representative Marcus Wiedower sponsored HB 686, which would allow up to 16 mobile sports betting licenses with a tax of 24% on adjusted gross revenues. Meanwhile, lawmakers proposed House Resolution 450, which would have sent the question of sports betting to the voters.

However, neither bill was passed, as they arrived on March 6th, relatively late in the session, to garner support. Yet, the House Study Committee on Gaming in the State of Georgia convened its inaugural meeting, and casino gambling was the primary source of discussion.

House Higher Education Committee Chairman Chuck Martin agreed that the bills were proposed late, stating, “It came in late, and I guess people just weren’t there yet.”

Nevertheless, sports betting will also be discussed and considered in subsequent meetings. The committee has until December 1st to analyze the impacts of gaming in Georgia and make appropriate recommendations.

But Wiedower contends that sports betting is already being conducted with offshore shops or local bookmakers, and the state is missing out on badly needed tax dollars while the customer is getting none of the protections.

“My effort is not to expand or encourage but to regulate and put guardrails around things already happening in this state,” said Representative Wiedower.

Wiedower also said in a statement that “I believe strongly—and Georgians by wide margins agree with me—that this change will not only bring in much-needed revenue to educate our youngest learners but also provide consumer protections that don’t exist in today’s black market.”

A recent study conducted by the University of Georgia and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce showed that 63% of those polled in Georgia support sports betting, and 78% of those surveyed said they believe the voters, and not the legislature, should decide whether to approve sports betting.

Casino Gambling Discussed

Georgia is one of the few states without commercial or tribal casinos, but at the very least, legislators are discussing the possibility. Ed Clark, president of EchoPark Speedway, previously known as Atlanta Motor Speedway, is enthusiastic about building a destination casino resort at the raceway. The project would create approximately 3000 construction jobs and 2500-3000 permanent jobs at the facility.

“This is an opportunity for them to work closer to home and make a comparable salary,” he said.

Clark also believes the decision to approve casino gambling should be left to the voters in the state.

“I don’t think the legislature should be legislating morality,” Clark said. “I think the citizens of Georgia need to decide.”

However, not everyone is enthusiastic about casino gambling and sports betting, citing societal costs in the form of addictive gambling behavior.

Mike Griffin, public affairs representative for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, stated, “When gambling increases, crime goes up, bankruptcies go up, addiction goes up. Jobs go down, savings go down, and spending on necessities goes down.”

Those who have been pining for gambling in the Peach State have to be encouraged by the conversation, but approved legislation could still be a few years away.