- House Study Committee on Gaming holds first meeting to discuss potential legal Georgia sports betting
- Casino gaming and locations are also being discussed
- Study committee meetings to continue throughout 2025
The Peach State is progressing with discussions on the benefits for the potential of legalized Georgia sports betting, in-person casino gambling, and horse racing.
This week, the House Study Committee on Gaming held their first meeting to explore the pros and cons of legal gaming in the state. A December deadline to make further recommendations is also planned.
Georgia Committee Discusses Casino Gaming
Monday’s meeting was the first in an effort to analyze the conditions, needs, issues, and problems associated with sports betting and casino gaming in Georgia.
The main goal of the initial meeting was to listen to public concerns. The meeting was primarily focused on casino gambling. Possible locations, future casino resorts, and where funds could be distributed were discussed. Health care, education, and gambling support were proposed as options.
Georgia currently does not have casinos. The state only has casino boats available. Discussions on casino gaming were limited to brick-and-mortar locations. The committee is not intended to study online casino gaming or iGaming. Meanwhile, lawmakers have given estimates that legal casino gaming could generate approximately $500 million of yearly revenue.
Georgia is one of 12 states who have yet to legalize any type of sports betting. Neighboring states of Tennessee, North Carolina, and Florida have all embraced some form of legalization. However, Georgia remains a holdout, along with other southern states like South Carolina, Alabama, and Mississippi.
Recently, a major holdup has been conflicting opinions on if legalization should be approved from a standard bill, or from a constitutional amendment. A constitutional amendment would require a state-wide public vote. Should Georgia go to the polls, a recent University of Georgia study in 2024 showed that Georgians would be in favor of legal sports betting. The study returned with 63% of respondents replying positively.
However, opponents, also shared concerns over gambling problems leading to an increase in addiction, bankruptcies, job loss, crime, suicide, and sex trafficking during Monday’s meeting.
Last year, Georgia attempted several bills to legalize sports betting. However, each of SR538, SB386, and SR579 failed to make headway. HR753 was the only bill to gain approval, which proposed the creation of the study committee.
In 2025, Rep. Marcus Wiedower sponsored resolution HR450 and bill HB686. These measures would have brought sports betting to the state either through a constitutional amendment or legislation. HR450 remains active for next year’s session.
Wiedower, the chair of the committee, took the opportunity to remind attendees that unregulated offshore Georgia sports betting is already widely available.
“I’ve always maintained that it’s been my efforts to not expand or encourage, but to regulate or put guardrails on things that are already happening in this state prevalently,” he said.
“I’ve always maintained that it’s been my efforts to not expand or encourage, but to regulate or put guardrails on things that are already happening in this state prevalently.” — House Study Committee on Gaming Chair Rep. Marcus Wiedower.
What’s Next for Georgia Sports Betting?
The study committee meetings are set to continue throughout 2025 and up to December 1. At which time, the committee must make their recommendations. The next meeting is anticipated to be held in late August.
The resolution that formed the committee, states at least four public hearings at different locations must be held. Additionally, one meeting to conclude findings must take place.
Should Georgia go the route of a referendum, that could set the stage for a November 2026 vote.
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