Georgia Casino Bill Fails, Sports Betting Odds Remain Long

Posted on: March 3, 2025, 02:48h. 

Last updated on: March 3, 2025, 02:48h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.
  • Legislation to authorize casinos in Georgia is dead
  • Sports betting also likely won’t find favor this year
  • Religious conservatives oppose gambling in Georgia

It appears Georgia lawmakers will once again fold on efforts to liberalize gaming in the Peach State.

Georgia sports betting casino legislation
Sports betting and casino gambling in Georgia will likely remain banned for at least another year. Lawmakers in the Atlanta capital continue to be unwilling to expand gambling in the Peach State. (Image: Shutterstock)

Another year, another chance for gaming supporters to present their case in the Atlanta Georgia State Capitol. But like the many legislative sessions before, the odds appear likely that the Republican-controlled General Assembly will not bet on gambling to spur the state’s economy while creating jobs and tax revenue.

Last Thursday, the Georgia Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee tabled Senate Resolution 131. The statute from four Senate Republicans — Sens. Brandon Beach (R-Alpharetta), Lee Anderson (R-Grovetown), Billy Hickman (R-Statesboro), and Carden Summers (R-Cordele) — sought to initiate a statewide ballot referendum this fall asking voters to amend the Georgia Constitution to allow casino gambling and sports betting.

The proposed referendum would have asked Georgians to approve “at least” eight brick-and-mortar casino resorts, with a state tax of 20% levied on casino and sports betting revenue. Though Summers is vice chair of the Regulated Industries Committee, the committee voted down the casino bill to Summers’ dismay.

The word ‘casino’ seems to conjure up something evil, nasty. Let me just explain this — a casino is a business, period. You don’t have to go in. You don’t have to gamble,” Summers said in response to religious opposition and concerns about gambling problems.

“Anybody can go on their phone and get on the Georgia Lottery website and app and gamble 24 hours a day,” Summers continued, highlighting that the state is among the minority of lottery-gaming states that include iLottery, or slot-like instant games via the internet.

Georgia Sports Betting Odds Long 

Georgia, home to one of the biggest sports markets in the country, remains on the sports betting sidelines. Thirty-nine states and Washington, D.C. have passed laws to regulate sports gambling.

Recent polling suggests 63% of adults in Georgia want the right to bet lawfully on their beloved Atlanta professional sports teams, Georgia Bulldogs, and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. But with “crossover day” this Thursday, the deadline for legislation to cross from one chamber to the other, time is running out.

House Resolution 450 and House Bill 686 both seek to authorize sports betting in Georgia.  

HR 450 would initiate a statewide ballot referendum asking voters to include sports betting as a permissible form of gambling along with the state-run lottery and nonprofit bingo games and raffles for charitable purposes.

HB 686 would bypass the public and authorize sports gambling as an extension of the Georgia Lottery.

Sports betting shall be overseen and regulated, and may also be offered, by the  Georgia Lottery Corporation in a manner that provides continuing entertainment to the  public, maximizes revenues, protects consumers, and ensures that sports betting is operated in this state with integrity and dignity and free of political influence,” the bill reads.

Both HR 450 and HB 686 remain in the House Hopper awaiting an official filing.

Georgia Gambling on Hold 

With less than 72 hours before the crossover deadline, the odds continue to lengthen that sports betting will become legal in Georgia anytime soon. That’s just fine with the state’s religious leaders.

This is the most addictive form of gambling that’s out there now. It definitely is being targeted toward our younger male adults. If you legalize it, you’re going to be pouring gasoline on a dumpster fire,” said Mike Griffin of the Georgia Baptist Mission Board.

Online sports betting is already occurring within Georgia via offshore, unregulated gambling websites. John Pappas, a senior government advisor with GeoComply, says the geolocation firm counted almost 14,500 active online sportsbook accounts attempting to access a regulated sportsbook from inside the state during the Super Bowl last month.

These are people who wanted to place a bet on a legal site, but couldn’t because they were in Georgia,” Pappas told Fox 5 in Atlanta.