Georgia Sports Betting Push Stalls in Legislature

Georgia came to a halt on Thursday, as neither a constitutional amendment nor a ing bill made it to a vote in the state House. The failure marks yet another setback in the ongoing efforts to legalize sports wagering in the state.

While Missouri successfully ed a 2024 referendum legalizing sports betting, becoming the 39th state to do so, Georgia remains among the 10 states where the practice remains prohibited. The Thursday deadline required legislation to one chamber before moving to the other, but with no action taken, chances of revival this session appear slim. However, lawmakers could revisit the issue in 2026, the second half of Georgia’s two-year legislative session.

Legislative Timing and Lack of Hinder Progress

House Higher Education Committee Chairman Chuck Martin, a Republican from Alpharetta, acknowledged the late introduction of the bill and amendment, stating, “It came in late and I guess people just weren’t there yet.” Martin added that discussions would continue with the possibility of bringing the issue to voters in November 2026.

Despite backing from Atlanta’s professional sports teams, business groups, and Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, sports betting legislation has struggled to gain traction. Since the 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down the federal ban on commercial sports betting, Georgia lawmakers have made multiple attempts to similar measures, all without success.

Georgia is not alone in facing challenges related to sports betting legalization. In Minnesota, a proposal failed in a Senate committee by a 6-6 tie vote on February 13, despite from the state’s 11 Native American tribes, horse racing tracks, charitable gambling organizations, and professional sports teams.

California voters rejected sports wagering in a 2022 ballot measure, and while the Texas House approved a legalization bill in 2023, it failed to the state Senate. Conversely, Hawaii has seen movement on the issue, with the state House approving an online sports betting bill on Tuesday.

Missouri, having approved sports betting through a referendum, is currently in the process of establishing regulatory guidelines and accepting applications from sportsbooks. The launch of legal wagering is expected to take place between late summer and early fall.

Political Divisions in Georgia Prove to Be an Obstacle

In Georgia, the requirement for a constitutional amendment necessitates a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate—an outcome that was unattainable without Democratic . Republican legislators remain divided, with some expressing concerns over potential gambling addiction, particularly among younger individuals.

House Minority Whip Sam Park, a Democrat from Lawrenceville, emphasized his party’s priority of directing tax revenues from sports betting towards prekindergarten education. This was a key provision in the proposed constitutional amendment introduced by Martin’s committee.

Proponents of sports betting argue that legalization would not only provide consumer protections but also generate substantial revenue that could be allocated to state programs. “I believe strongly — and Georgians by wide margins agree with me — that this change will not only bring in much needed revenue to educate our youngest learners but also provide consumer protections that don’t exist in today’s black market,” said State Rep. Marcus Wiedower, a Republican from Watkinsville who sponsored the bill.

Currently, among the 38 states where sports betting is legal, some restrict wagering to in-person locations, while the majority permit online betting from any location within state lines.

Source:

‘’Efforts by Georgia lawmakers to legalize sports betting fizzle again’’, cdcgaming.com, March 07, 2025.