Sports Betting Legal in Georgia
Georgia is one of the states that have gotten closer to making sports betting legal online. In the next few years, this state could have its own sportsbook. However, the question of whether sports betting is legal in Georgia is still in flux. While the Georgia General Assembly passed a bill allowing online gambling, other states are looking to follow suit. For the moment, there are a few lingering questions that need to be answered.
The first bill introduced in the Georgia legislature, SB 403, died quickly. Later, other bills were introduced in the Senate and House, including HR 403. However, none of these bills passed, and neither the House nor Senate passed the legislation. There has also been no mention of legalizing sports betting in Georgia. That could change, though. There is a high chance that the Georgia General Assembly will consider legalizing sports betting in 2021.
If sports betting were legal in Georgia, DraftKings would have to wait until the state’s legislature passes the necessary legislation. The website currently operates in seven states and needs to pass the Georgia legislation before it can start accepting bets. Regardless, the state could start operating in 2021 if sports betting is legal in the state. And if it does, DraftKings and other sports books will soon be able to join the fray.
Is Sports Betting Legal in Georgia?
If this legislation passes, sports betting in Georgia will be legal in the state within two years. If it passes, it will be the first state to do so, with the state’s legalization of sports betting expected to take effect in 2022. In addition, the state’s lawmakers will need to pass other legislation before the sports betting legislation becomes law. Nevertheless, there are a few key hurdles that remain for the future of Georgia.
Despite the state’s lack of state-level sports betting legislation, it is likely that Georgia will soon follow Tennessee in legalizing online sportsbooks. The only significant hurdle is the lack of retail casinos in the state. If this is the case, there will be no physical locations to host an online sportsbook. The only remaining options for sports betting in the state are daily fantasy games and regulated offshore sites. In Georgia, these sites do not operate under the UIGEA, but they will be licensed in other states.
Although Georgia has been a long-time opponent of sports betting, the state’s lawmakers have also heard the concerns of local residents and have proposed legislation to make it legal in the state. The revenue from legalized sports gambling would be approximately $100 million in the year 2020. Despite the opposition to the bill, the state legislature is now making late-night efforts to make sports betting legal in the state by the end of the current legislative session.