All Eyes on Georgia Sports Betting During Final Legislative Day

Georgia backmost Carson Beck (15) looks to propulsion a walk during nan 2nd half of a NCAA assemblage shot crippled against Georgia Tech successful Atlanta, connected Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023.Georgia won 31-23.

• A Georgia sports betting package is still alive, but clip is moving retired for passage
• The bills were moved guardant this greeting by Higher Education committee
• Still request to beryllium moved guardant to nan House

Georgia’s sports betting hopes are still live successful nan state’s last legislative day, but they whitethorn beryllium dwindling by nan minute.

Two pieces of authorities to legalize and modulate sports betting successful nan authorities were approved this greeting by nan Georgia House Committee connected Higher Education, but stalled retired soon thereafter successful nan House Rules Committee.

The Georgia sports betting package will person to beryllium approved coming by nan House and sent to nan Senate for concurrence aliases sports betting will neglect erstwhile again successful nan Peach State.

Long Odds For Passage

Members of nan Georgia House Committee connected Higher Education approved some SB 386, a measure to legalize online sports betting, and SR 579, a solution legalizing sports betting done a law amendment, and moved nan authorities up to nan House Committee connected Rules.

However, nan House Committee connected Rules did not return up nan bills during its 9 a.m. session. Committee Chairman Rep. Butch Parrish (R-158) did statement upon adjournment that nan committee whitethorn meet again later successful nan day, which would springiness nan bills different chance to move up to nan House. The authorities first needs to beryllium approved by nan Rules Committee to beryllium sent to nan House for consideration.

No clip has been group for nan adjacent Rules Committee meeting.

While nan sports betting package isn’t dead, its chances dwindle each hr it is not heard by nan House floor. To beryllium passed, SR 579 will person to beryllium approved by a two-thirds mostly and SB 386 by a elemental majority. Then nan authorities will person to beryllium sent backmost to nan Senate for concurrence, arsenic nan bills were amended successful House committee.

If everything is approved by some nan House and Senate today, Georgia voters would person nan last opportunity connected sports betting during nan November wide election. If approved by voters, sports betting would apt motorboat sometime successful 2025.

While not impossible, clip is moving retired arsenic coming is nan last time of nan state’s legislative session. Action is expected to beryllium taken until midnight, but pinch lawmakers jockeying for position to person their bills heard nan title will beryllium high.

Sports Betting Bills Amended successful Committee

Both SB 386 and SR 579 were amended successful committee this morning.

Sen. Clint Dixon’s (R-45) bill, SB 386, saw its sports betting taxation complaint amended from 20% to 25%, and connection cleared up to guarantee that operators cannot trim free and promotional bets from its taxable revenue. The measure seeks to legalize online sports betting for 16 licence holders successful nan state. Licenses would costs $1 cardinal annually to renew and applicants would person to salary a $100,000 exertion fee. It would let for bets connected assemblage sports.

Sen. Bill Cowsert’s (R-16) SR 579, which requires Georgia voters to o.k. a law amendment successful nan November wide predetermination to legalize sports betting, was besides amended to group circumstantial sports betting taxation gross disbursements successful nan state. The changes require that 85% of sports betting taxation gross will beryllium earmarked for HOPE Scholarship funding, pre-kindergarten funding, acquisition training, and superior improvements, while nan remaining 15% of gross will beryllium dedicated to a problem gaming money and capped astatine $150 million.

Cowsert touted nan solution arsenic including nan astir robust responsible gaming provisions of immoderate sports betting authorities successful nan country. To put things successful perspective, to scope its headdress of $150 cardinal for problem gaming, nan authorities would person to execute $1 cardinal successful sports betting taxation revenue.

If approved, SB 386 will legalize online sports betting for a full of 16 online sports betting licenses, pinch nan numbers breaking down arsenic follows:

• Five for Georgia master sports teams (Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Braves, Atlanta United FC, and Atlanta Dream)
• One for Augusta National Golf Course
• One for nan PGA Tour
• One for Atlanta Motor Speedway
• One for nan Georgia Lottery Corporation

The remaining 7 licenses will beryllium awarded by a recently formed gaming committee that will modulate sports betting successful nan state.

Gambling

Rob covers each regulatory developments successful online gambling. He specializes successful US sports betting news on pinch casino regularisation news arsenic 1 of nan astir trusted sources successful nan country.