After years of heated discussion and failed attempts, Georgia lawmakers are once again reviving the debate over whether to legalise sports betting, casino gambling and horse racing in the state.
In 2025, key legislative resolutions were introduced with the ambitious aim of letting Georgia voters decide the future of legal gambling through a statewide constitutional amendment on the November 2026 ballot.
With Georgia remaining one of the few US states without legal sports wagering or casinos, the latest push signals both economic opportunity and regulatory challenge for the region.
Supporters, including major Atlanta sports franchises and business leaders, argue that legalising betting would keep dollars at home, rather than flowing to offshore sites or neighbouring states.
Representative Marcus Wiedower, author of the primary sports betting legislation in the House, commented: “Let the voters decide. If they don’t want it, they don’t want it.”
The current legislative framework proposes up to 16 licenses for online sports betting, with several tied directly to local professional sports teams and major venues like Augusta National and Atlanta Motor Speedway.
The most recent House proposals would bump the tax rate on sports betting revenue to 24%, a figure intended to power state education funding and bolster programs to combat gambling addiction.
Broader Gaming Expansion
This renewed interest in legal gaming doesn’t stop at traditional sports and casinos. Several lawmakers and advocacy groups have noted that such gambling expansions could lay the foundation for future esports betting regulations, a fast-growing sector nationwide that is already being discussed as a potential new offering under ‘sports betting’ umbrellas in other states.
While current bills centre on more conventional sports, the inclusion of digital-only sports betting and broad language about future gaming oversight indicates evolving opportunities for esports as the market matures in Georgia.
However, despite back-to-back committee approvals and robust debate, actual passage remains elusive.
A constitutional amendment requires two-thirds approval from both legislative chambers before voters can weigh in.
Earlier in 2025, House and Senate bills advanced through key committees, yet failed to reach a final vote before the all-important “crossover” deadline, effectively pushing any further progress into the next legislative period in 2026.
As stakeholder discussions continue and Georgia’s gambling laws inch closer to potential change, attention will remain on how legal casinos, sports betting, horse racing, and even future esports wagering might transform the state’s economy and entertainment landscape.
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