Georgia just fumbled the ball again. Lawmakers had a wide-open lane to put Georgia sports betting on the 2025 ballot, and instead, they punted.
Now fans in the Peach State have to wait until 2026 for another shot. Here’s the crazy part: a University of Georgia poll shows 63% of voters already support it. That’s not a nail-biter, but a blowout.
Missed Opportunity for State Revenue
Meanwhile, the rest of the country is running up the score. Thirty-nine states have gone all-in on legal betting. Only nine are holding out, and two of them are the heavyweights, including Texas and California, where politicians keep stiff-arming the idea.
But here’s the reality check: people are betting anyway. Offshore juggernaut Bovada, tucked away in Costa Rica, is mopping the floor with U.S. brands. BookMakersReview says they’ve got 177,000 active players and over 11 million visits a month.
What’s even more shocking is that NEXT/Blask reports
Bovada raked in $13 billion in 2024. That’s more than FanDuel and DraftKings combined.
More Bettors Are Choosing Offshore Sportsbooks
Even states with legal sportsbooks can’t stop the offshore blitz. Look at Florida: Hard Rock Bet is the only regulated option, but it’s pulling just 20% of the market. The other 80%? Heading straight offshore.
And now we’ve hit the start of the much-awaited football season, one of the biggest betting frenzies of the year. Lawmakers can stick their heads in the sand, but the numbers don’t lie.
Sports betting is already happening in every state, legal or not.
Opponents warn that legalization “encourages gambling,” but Harvard researcher Howard Shaffer has shown that problem gambling rates barely tick up, even as access explodes.
Bottom line: the games are on, the bets are flying, and states like Georgia are just watching tax dollars leak away. Fans aren’t waiting, they’re already playing.
The only question is whether lawmakers are ready to step onto the court, or if they’re content sitting on the bench.
Why Choose an Offshore Sportsbook
Offshore sportsbooks are the ideal option for bettors in Georgia, especially with legalized sports betting cast to the side for the foreseeable future.
While a common criticism with offshore sportsbooks is that they’re unregulated, here at Bookmakers Review, we act as the industry watchdog to keep you informed about the best offshore sportsbooks available.
Some of the top operators include BetOnline, Bovada, and Everygame.
Here’s why you should choose these platforms:
- Quick financial transactions with cryptocurrency as a payment method.
- Sharp odds where you don’t have to worry about paying inflated vig on point spreads or moneylines.
- Higher limits on betting markets, meaning that you can place larger wagers.
- You don’t have to worry about being limited to low-stakes (ex. max $1 bet) if you go on a hot streak.
