A proposed constitutional amendment allowing Georgians to vote on whether to legalize sports betting in the Peach State has cleared a state Senate committee.
The Senate Regulated Industries Committee unanimously passed the bipartisan measure late Tuesday.
The legislation would create a gaming commission overseen by the Georgia Lottery Corp. to regulate sports betting.
Eighty percent of the tax revenue derived from sports betting would go toward Georgia’s HOPE Scholarships and prekindergarten programs. Fifteen percent would be dedicated to programs to combat addictive gambling, and 5% would be used to attract and promote sporting events in the state, a provision sought by a coalition of Atlanta pro sports teams.
Some sports betting bills Georgia lawmakers have considered would not require a constitutional amendment. But supporters of Senate Resolution 579 said Tuesday changing the state Constitution would put sports betting on safer legal ground and assure buy-in from Georgia voters.
“You can never go wrong letting the voters have a vote,” Sen. Brandon Beach, R-Alpharetta, told members of the committee.
The legislation drew opposition Tuesday from members of faith-based groups and a former business professor from Illinois now retired to Georgia who has written extensively on the dangers associated with legalized gambling.
John Kindt said the medical community has declared gambling an addiction that is just as dangerous as narcotics.
“This is like legalizing heroin or cocaine,” he said.
Taylor Hawkins, director of advocacy for FrontLine Policy Action, a Christian advocacy group, said dedicating part of the tax revenue from sports betting to addressing problem gambling wouldn’t be enough to compensate for the damage legalized gambling would do to Georgians.
“That is like putting water in a bucket while you’re pouring gas on a fire,” he said.
The full Senate passed an “enabling” bill earlier this month setting the ground rules for sports betting should Georgia voters approve the constitutional amendment. While Senate Bill 386 was supported by 35 of the 56 senators, constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority of the Senate – 38 votes – to pass.
Senate Resolution 579 now heads to the Senate Rules Committee to schedule a floor vote.
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