A bill to legalize sports betting in Georgia (Senate Bill 386) is expected to be discussed on the Senate floor Thursday.
The by a vote of 8-2. The bill was selected Wednesday by the Senate Rules Committee to move to the Senate floor, where it’s expected to be debated Thursday.
“This is a very simple sports betting bill, noncontroversial,” Sen. Clint Dixon, one of the bipartisan bill’s sponsors, said Wednesday. “Everybody should be able to vote green on it.”
While bill sponsors like Dixon sound bullish on the bill’s chances of ing through the Senate, previous legislative sessions have illustrated the many challenges of legalizing sports betting apps in Georgia. Some legislators hold moral objections to gambling, while others believe a constitutional amendment should be required to bring legal sports wagering to the Peach State.
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SB 386 doesn’t require a constitutional amendment to legalize sports betting in the state. Instead, sports wagering would be regulated by the lottery and considered a lottery game.
Professional sports franchises and venues, including the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta FC, Atlanta Dream, Augusta National, the PGA Tour, and Atlanta Motor Speedway, are expected to be eligible to apply for online operator licenses under the language in SB 386. The Georgia Lottery could also apply, and there would be an additional seven standalone operator licenses awarded through an open application process.
Operators would pay a 20% tax on adjusted gross income, and they’d pay a $100,000 application fee in addition to an annual renewal fee of $1 million.
The bill allows for both online and retail sports betting.
