As the legislative clock ticks down, the Georgia House Higher Education Committee today (27 March) grappled once again with the future of mobile sports betting but ended the day without a vote. The key debate remains how to allocate the anticipated new revenue streams from legalizing such an enterprise. With the current session drawing to a close by Thursday night, legislators are braced for a last-minute decision-making marathon just two hours before the full House convenes at 10 a.m. local time. It’s clear at this point that Thursday will propel the state into a breakneck race to decide on sports betting.
The committee’s decision not to vote on Wednesday followed a pattern of delay—from a similar postponement on Monday (25 March) to a series of three hearings that began on 19 March and included at least one canceled meeting.
Senator Bill Cowsert is poised to propose an amendment designating 15% of tax revenue to initiatives for problem and responsible gambling—a figure that would set a national record if passed. This allocation translates to $150,000 per $1 million in tax revenue dedicated to combating gambling addiction.
In another camp, Representative Sam Park, a member of the Higher Education Committee, will suggest an amendment earmarking 5% of tax dollars for similar problem and responsible gaming initiatives. The remaining funds would then support voluntary Pre-K programs and assistance for individuals earning below the state’s median income. With these competing amendments on the table, lawmakers face a pivotal choice, as it would be contradictory to endorse both simultaneously.
Senate Bill 579, a constitutional amendment introduced by Cowsert, requires a two-thirds majority vote since it would be left to the discretion of voters, a formidable hurdle given that neither party claims such a dominance in the legislature. Hence, bipartisan support is crucial.
Should the committee give the green light to the bills, including SB 386, which provides the foundation for the operation of sports betting, they will still have to overcome the hurdles of the House floor and potentially a return to the Senate or a conference committee—all within the confines of a single day. This breakneck procedure has been executed in the past, but given the lack of consensus among Georgia lawmakers on the ideal framework for legal sports betting, nothing is guaranteed in the Peach State.
Moreover, on the final day of the session, the House calendar is already inundated with over 150 bills, raising the question of whether legal sports betting will be a focal point amongst the fray. Reports from sources within iGB indicate that the path to this juncture has been turbulent, with leadership from both legislative chambers expressing frustration over the impasse and the tangible possibility that the proposals could either be rejected outright or simply not put to a vote at all.
The House Higher Education Committee dedicated roughly an hour on Wednesday to deliberate on the proposals that had been on its plate for a month, once more centering the discussion on the allocation of the potential tax dollars. Lawmakers are adamant that the lion’s share of these funds be directed toward educational endeavors, with the real debate centering on precisely which programs to prioritize—whether it be the merit-based HOPE scholarships, need-based scholarships, Pre-K programs, or school lunches.
Georgia’s legislative body nearly passed sports betting legislation in 2021, but it stumbled when Democrats withdrew their votes in response to a controversial voting rights bill championed by Republicans. In the meantime, two key regional states—Florida and North Carolina—have green-lit sports betting.
Evidence suggests that demand for legal betting in Georgia is strong, as underscored by impressive initial figures from the North Carolina Lottery and the successful launch of the Seminole Tribe’s Hard Rock Bet platform in Florida.
As the legislative deadline looms, stakeholders and interested parties will be attuned to any updates, ready for the final sprint in Georgia’s sports betting legislative race.
