As the legislative clock wound down in Georgia, the bets were off for legalizing sports betting once again. Despite swift action in the Senate, the push to allow sports wagering did not make it to the House floor, signifying another faltering step in what has been a multi-year saga embroiled in political maneuvering and ideological standoffs.
Distinct camps emerged in the Georgia legislature with contrasting views on the prospects of legalized betting, magnifying the uncertainty around the potential outcome as the session ticked towards its close. The legislative package, which included a constitutional amendment and corresponding legislation intended to regulate the sports betting scenario, was hastily ushered through the Senate in under three weeks. However, it became mired in the House, leaving advocates of legal wagering to wonder what could have been.
The Senate’s package consisted of two amended bills, clearing the House Higher Education Committee early on the final day of the session. Although whispers suggest the committee could have passed the bills the previous evening, the need for broader agreement left a mere 15-hour window to broker a deal that failed to materialise. The House Rules Committee, which convened multiple times throughout the day, did not bring the bills forward.
This legislative hiccup marked the fourth straight session where consensus eluded Georgia lawmakers, and for the second time, legal wagering became a contentious political issue. In the prior year, Democrats withdrew their support following a controversial Republican-backed voting rights bill, complicating the political landscape further. This time around, despite Republicans edging closer, they could not secure the bipartisan compromise needed to achieve the two-thirds House majority required for passing the constitutional amendment, although they had previously managed to in the Senate.
Amid ongoing negotiations, the lack of trust between different viewpoints became apparent. Brendan Bussmann of B Global, a gambling consultant, voiced his perspective, highlighting the paradox of legislators trusting the electorate for re-election while hesitating to allow those same voters to decide on the legalization of sports betting at the ballot box.
The proposition for the constitutional amendment SR 579 had been revised early on the last day to earmark what would have been the highest problem and responsible gambling funds in the nation—at 15% of tax revenue, capped at $22.5 million per year. This provision, sources indicated, could have been amended further to reduce such funds to 5% and redirect the allocation of other revenues.
Brianne Doura-Schawohl, a notable advocate for responsible gaming, praised the state’s initial commitment to address problem gambling in the event of legalized betting, which was marked as a public health priority given Georgia’s historically low per capita contributions to the issue. With the proposed amendment, Georgia would have set a new benchmark, even surpassing the commitment of 38 other states plus Washington D.C.
Georgia’s deadlock is particularly poignant given the industry’s view of the state as a prime candidate for introducing legal sports betting in 2024. Among the twelve states that haven’t legalized sports betting are Georgia’s neighbors, Alabama and South Carolina.
Elsewhere, Minnesota legislators are weighing multiple bills for legalization amidst the partial dissent of the state’s tribes. Missouri’s path could be swayed by a public initiative backed by professional sports teams targeting a ballot presence this November.
As the curtain falls on yet another thwarted legislative effort, the debate over legalized sports betting in Georgia continues. Stakeholders, lawmakers, and advocacy groups revisit their playbooks, each hoping for a different outcome when the legislative session reconvenes. The possibility of Georgia joining the ranks of states with legal sports betting remains a question mark—caught in the interplay of politics, public opinion, and the ever-evolving landscape of the gambling industry.
