Another Georgia Sports Betting Bill is Officially Up for Consideration

Another Georgia sports betting bill is officially up for consideration in 2025.

This marks the seventh consecutive legislative sessions in which The Peach State will weigh the prospect of legal sports wagering. So far, initiatives are 0-for-6. Will this latest one be any different?

Experts are understandably skeptical. Previous attempts to legalize sports betting in Georgia, while unsuccessful, used to feature tangible progress. Those advancements have seemingly slowed. At the very least, the last Georgia sports betting push fell flatter than past iterations. And with so much else going in 2025 following the election of President Donald Trump, it isn’t clear how much of a priority gambling expansion will be.

Then again, many weren’t sure another sports betting initiative would crack The Peach State’s agenda in 2025. The fact that it is back on the table means something. If nothing else, it is proof of continued interest. But is it also evidence of actual momentum? 

Latest Georgia Sports Betting Bill Details

Hunter King of 13 WMAZ has the complete overview of the latest Georgia sports betting initiative:

“Four state senators filed Senate Resolution 131 on Tuesday, proposing a constitutional amendment that would create a regulated gaming industry with at least eight casino licenses and a 20 percent tax rate on betting revenue. The resolution, sponsored by Senators Carden Summers, Billy Hickman, Brandon Beach, and Lee Anderson, would establish a Georgia Gaming Commission to oversee operations. The measure would direct $2 billion in tax revenue to be split evenly among Georgia counties. The resolution marks Georgia's seventh consecutive year considering sports betting legislation. “However, supporters believe this attempt has stronger momentum, particularly with neighboring states Tennessee and North Carolina already offering legal sports betting. The proposal includes provisions for problem gambling, requiring 5 percent of revenue beyond the initial county distribution to fund addiction prevention and treatment programs. The resolution explicitly prohibits online casino gaming.”

Whether this momentum of which supporters speak is accurate remains debatable. But this bill is certainly more comprehensive than years past.

Previously, it was not entirely clear how Georgia sports betting would be legalized. Some wanted to do it without a constitutional amendment. The bar for getting one is high, but settling on a uniform approach qualifies as progress.

Mapping out exact allocations for Georgia sports betting revenue, including the tax rate, is potentially another good sign. This language also ends speculation about whether Georgia online sports betting apps will be part of the equation. As things stand, only on-site wagering would be legalized.

Will Surrounding States Impact What Georgia Does Next?

Citing the laws of neighboring states is common practice now that sports betting in the USA is so prevalent. Once Missouri sports betting launches later this year, 39 states as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico will offer some form of legal wagering. That argument carries weight in many instances.

Granted, it has yet to matter for Georgia’s sports betting push. But the recent launch of sports betting in North Carolina at least somewhat changes the calculus. Three of the five states bordering Georgia now offer sports wagering. On top of The Tar Heel State, sports betting is legal in both Tennessee and Florida.

Adding another state to the fold increases the chances that officials ponder the amount of revenue leaving Georgia. Members of Congress readily acknowledge residents of The Peach State already bet on sports. Now, circumventing Georgia sports betting limitations is easier than ever with North Carolina entering the fray. It will get even easier still if Alabama sports betting gets legalized.

In all likelihood, supporters will point out that Georgia is probably surrendering millions of dollars worth of sports betting revenue to their neighbors each year. And those are the types of numbers that can prompt wholesale shift in tunes.

The Road to Georgia Sports Betting is Still Steeped with Obstacles

Of course, just because Georgia sports betting seems to have momentum doesn’t mean it’s a sure thing. On the contrary, it is quite the opposite. 

Any Georgia sports betting proposal requires three-fifths majority approval in both the House of Representatives and Senate. That is a tall bar to clear. Getting the overall majority figures to be challenging enough. But a nearly 67 percent approval rating, across both branches, is far harder to clear than a 51 percent majority.

Plus, there is no guarantee Georgia sports betting gets legalized even if the House and Senate both pass SR 131. Assuming it gets that far, it must then appear on the electoral ballot in 2026. And from there, it will need the majority of the Georgia voting population to approve it. Then, and only then, can The Peach State officially plan for a sports betting launch.

Given how things are so far unfolding, it will be a fairly giant surprise if Georgia sports betting efforts prove successful this year. For starters, there still seems to be plenty of opposition. That is a red flag when you need a supermajority approval rating. 

Moreover, it sounds like the state legislature has plenty of other matters higher up on the agenda. Knowing how much negotiating this SR 131 may require, there’s a chance the House or, more likely, Senate runs out of time before giving it thorough consideration. None of which is meant to paint this latest Georgia sports betting attempt as hopeless. It just feels like another long shot.

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