Georgia Sports Betting Bill Voted Down in State Senate, Legislative Hopes Remain

Posted on: March 3, 2023, 11:00h. 

Last updated on: March 6, 2023, 12:42h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.

Georgia lawmakers say the odds have never been better of a sports betting bill passing the General Assembly, but the Senate this week voted down such a legislative effort.

Georgia sports betting legislation
The University of Georgia football team celebrates its national championship on Jan. 15, 2022. The Bulldogs repeated as champions of the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2023. Despite recent legislative efforts, Georgians remain prohibited from legally betting on sports inside the state. (Image: University of Georgia)

The Georgia Senate voted 37-19 against Senate Bill 57 on Thursday. Introduced by Sen. Billy Hickman (R-Statesboro), the measure sought to allow sports betting online and in-person at self-service wagering kiosks.

The retail sportsbook terminals would have been available to businesses in exchange for a $10K application fee. The sportsbook operator would have been on the hook for an annual license cost of $100K.

Gross revenue from sports betting would have been taxed at 20%. The generated sports betting tax revenue would have been set aside for college scholarships and prekindergarten programs.

While many Georgia lawmakers are optimistic about their chances of legalizing a sports betting bill this year, some senators said they voted against SB57 because it was too far-reaching. Along with gambling on sports, Hickman’s bill would have authorized pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing.

Georgia is one of the most restrictive states regarding gambling, as the state-run lottery is currently the only form of legal gambling. The state doesn’t have any commercial or tribal casinos or iGaming.

New Legislative Effort

With sports betting defeated in the Senate, sports betting supporters turn to the House of Representatives, where two other measures remain alive.

Rep. Marcus Wiedower (R-Watkinsville) has filed legislation to legalize online sports betting but not in-person betting or pari-mutuel wagering. The mobile sports betting-only bill was passed favorably this week by the House Higher Education Committee.

Wiedower’s statute, House Bill 380, would also use the associated tax revenue from sports gambling to support education. Sports betting receipts would go toward the Georgia Lottery for Education Account, with the Georgia Lottery serving as the regulator of the expanded gambling.

If HB380 finds a similar fate as SB57 when the House sports betting bill is considered on the chamber floor, scheduled for Monday, March 6, Georgia’s final hope for sports betting in 2023 would come through a ballot referendum.

Legislative Path

Georgia Republicans who support allowing sports betting don’t believe they have to ask voters to legalize gambling on pro and college sports through a statewide ballot referendum. Former Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Harold Melton backed that opinion earlier this year.

Melton said the General Assembly can expand gambling “solely through legislative action.”

Opponents of sports betting say a referendum should be held to determine whether residents want such gambling. But the odds of legalizing sports betting via referendum are considerably longer. The referendum path requires a two-thirds supermajority in each chamber and a simple majority referendum vote.

House and Senate leaders say there’s not enough support to pass sports betting through a referendum. But as a last resort, sports betting backers have introduced House Resolution 210.

The Hail Mary resolution seeks to initiate a referendum, but again, two-thirds of the House and Senate membership would need to back the bill to put a sports betting question on the November ballot.