Well, the very simple answer to that question is: “No, sports betting is not legal in Georgia”. At least not yet anyway…
That sports betting is not yet legal in Georgia isn’t for the lack of trying. Many of the state’s legislators want it. Many of the residents also want to be able to place wagers on their favourite teams.
Unfortunately, efforts to legalize sports betting continue to meet roadblocks within the state’s government.
Since the turn of the decade, pro-betting Georgian legislators have been pushing for the legalization of sports betting, but sports betting bills have failed to get the green light in each of the last four years.
With the legislative session for the current year underway, another set of sports betting bills have been brought to the table.
While sports betting proponents retain hope that they can finally get something over the line, the general feeling amongst industry experts is that Georgians may have to wait at least another year before they are able to place sports bets within state lines.
Georgia remains one of the few states in the United States that are yet to legalize sports betting.
Since the Supreme Court famously struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), more than 30 states have legalized sports betting in one form of the other.
Vermont was the latest state to launch sports betting, going live in January 2024, while North Carolina is set to join the party in March.
Georgians, it would seem, would have to wait much longer to join most of the rest of America to place sports wagers and benefit from the numerous betting freebies and bonuses available on US sportsbooks.
One option for Georgians is to cross into neighboring states with legal sports betting and legally place their wagers.
There’s North Carolina and Tennessee up north which allows sports betting, while Florida down south allows a little bit of betting.
The guys in the eastern and western borders do not have such luxury, with Alabama and South Carolina yet to legalize sports wagering.
Interestingly, many of the nearby states are yet to legalize sports betting. Alabama to the west, South Carolina to the east.
Georgia Has Huge Sports Betting Potential
Betting has become a multi-million dollar industry across different states, with New Jersey and New York leading the way.
Given the population of Georgia, it could potentially be amongst the leading states in terms of revenue if and when sports betting is legalized. According to Senator Clint Dixon, the sports betting industry in Georgia could generate more than $100 million in taxes.
Georgia is the eighth most populous state in the US, with just over 11 million inhabitants. It is also home to quite a number of popular sports teams, including the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA, and Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball.
Hence, the foundation is definitely already on ground for the Peach State to become a prosperous sports betting state.
FanDuel, Draftkings to lead the way in Georgia
When sports betting eventually becomes legal in Georgia, expect the familiar candidates like FanDuel, Caesars and Draftkings to be amongst the first operators to become active in the state.
In fact, FanDuel already has an office in Atlanta, and as is the case in many other states, the betting heavyweights could well be the dominant force in the state.
For now, FanDuel and their counterparts have to wait and watch as Georgia legislators continue to debate the future of sports betting in the Peach State. It does feel like a case of “when” rather than “if” – just that no one is quite sure when that would be.
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