The Georgia state legislature is under pressure to bridge budget deficits, and the answer may come from gaming in the Peach State. Legislators are considering sports betting and casino proposals during this upcoming session now more than ever.
The Great Debate
Georgia is one of the few remaining bastions in the nation without commercial or tribal casinos dotting its landscape and is currently without retail or mobile sports betting. However, that could be changing as a movement to eliminate revenue derived from state income is picking up steam.
Yet, that state income tax revenue provides more than half of the state’s revenues, and if it is to pass, another viable source of revenue will be required to fill that massive void. Moreover, surrounding states like North Carolina and Tennessee have recently passed sports betting legislation that has contributed $116 million and $97.1 million in tax revenues from mobile sports betting alone in their first year, respectively.
However, the American Gaming Association reported nearly $50 billion in nationwide casino revenue in 2024, versus $13.8 billion from sports betting, suggesting that the true relief will come from land-based casinos. Moreover, the burgeoning new industries would provide not only sorely needed revenue but would also create jobs.
Two sports betting bills are on tap for the upcoming legislative session in Georgia, with the first being a constitutional amendment that would put the question of sports betting to the voters via a referendum. The other bill would provide the framework for sports betting in Georgia, specifically licensing and regulatory protocols.
PGA Pushes for Georgia Sports Betting
The PGA Tour is the latest professional sports organization to join the others in advocating for sports betting in Georgia. Golf’s preeminent organization believes sports betting will bring a new audience to the Tour and will reinvigorate fan engagement. We should also mention the sponsorships from mobile sportsbooks that would supply another revenue stream for golf’s elite sanctioning body.
Georgia has approved a House Study Committee on Gaming to study the impact of sports betting in the state, and PGA spokesperson Scott Warfield said, “This is a way to get the core fan engaged longer on our sport. They engage more with our content and follow the tournaments closely.”
Representative Marcus Wiedower has also advocated for sports betting in the Peach State, saying, “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.”
Ed Clark, president of EchoPark Speedway, previously known as Atlanta Motor Speedway, has also been outspoken about land-based casinos in Georgia and is promoting his facility as a casino resort destination. A casino at the EchoPark Speedway would create 3000 construction jobs and nearly as many permanent jobs at the facility.
“I don’t think the legislature should be legislating morality,” Clark said. “I think the citizens of Georgia need to decide.”
