Sports Wagering Legalization in Georgia: Betting on Success?
In June 2018, total sports wagers in the U.S. totaled around $300 million. Fast forward to March 2025, and that number hit around $6 billion, despite it being the lowest monthly total since July 2023. That exponential growth resulted from a Supreme Court ruling that allowed states to determine the legality of sports betting. Since then, a majority of U.S. states have legalized the practice with mixed success, though Georgia has not yet done so. Three of Georgia’s neighbors—Tennessee, North Carolina, and Florida—are among those states, prompting some Georgia residents to cross state lines and place bets elsewhere.
Now, all eyes are on Georgia. Lawmakers are again debating whether to legalize sports betting, with major industry players such as BetMGM, DraftKings, and FanDuel backing the initiative. Even Atlanta’s professional sports teams have expressed support. Despite all the support, the path to legalization remains tricky. The Senate Committee on Regulated Industries and Utilities recently voted against a constitutional amendment letting voters decide on sports betting and casino gambling. The House has shown even less enthusiasm.
Yet hope remains for legalization’s proponents, and they have certainly not given up. Rep. Marcus Wiedower (R-119), chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government, backed legalization legislation this past session and will likely do the same in 2027. This year’s proposal would have directed revenue from sports betting to Georgia Lottery-funded programs, including the HOPE Scholarship and Pre-K funding. The bill would set a legal betting age of 21 similar to nearly every state that has legalized. However, the bill fell through the cracks of the legislative process this past session. A renewed push is expected next year.
One major roadblock is Georgia’s constitutional amendment process. Because sports betting would require a change to the state constitution, two-thirds of the General Assembly must vote to approve it before it can appear on the ballot for voters. Getting public approval may not be the hard part. A poll conducted by the University of Georgia and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce found that 63% of voters support legalization. The amendment would only need a simple majority, signalling to many that the General Assembly is the primary obstacle.
A significant sticking point remains: what to do with the revenue. Lawmakers remain divided, in part because sports betting revenue can be reallocated by future legislatures. Tennessee offers a compelling case study. When the state first legalized sports betting in 2018, 80% of the privilege tax revenue went to the Lottery for Education Fund, supporting scholarships and higher education. However, in 2024, the legislature shifted that funding toward the Education Freedom Scholarship Program, which supports school choice through a voucher system. The Georgia voucher system, much like in Tennessee, has drawn significant criticism, highlighting the potential for fights down the road on revenue use.
Representative Omari Crawford (D-89) has been watching the debate unfold since he entered the legislature in 2023. He said, “I believe there is hesitancy in moving that legislation forward. For one, people are still trying to learn more about it – are there possible pitfalls from other states, and how can we use the revenue that we receive from the betting.” To Rep. Crawford, some of those details may be better worked out after legalization. He continued, “Kinda like the lottery, you pass the legislation, and over time you figure out how you can make it better.”
Another key concern is ensuring a safe and regulated betting environment. In Tennessee, oversight by the Sports Wagering Council (SWC) has played a central role in protecting consumers. Mary Beth Thomas, the executive director of the Tennessee SWC, emphasizes the importance of having a regulatory agency in place. “Our most important responsibility is protecting the public interest,” she said. Licensed sportsbooks must implement controls to protect player funds, prevent underage gambling, report suspicious activity, and provide options for those seeking to opt out. “Illegal sportsbooks don’t offer these protections and often prey on the most vulnerable individuals—including minors and those with gambling problems,” Thomas added.
Without an agency tasked with those safety measures, Georgians are left unprotected against sportsbooks, whether illegally operating in Georgia or legally operating in neighboring states. In almost all proposals for legalization, around 5% of the revenue would go to funding education and awareness on betting safety. To many lawmakers, the logic seems simple: sports betting is already happening. Legalization just gives the state a way to manage it, tax it, and provide safeguards for its residents.
The debate over sports betting in Georgia isn’t going away anytime soon. Between strong public support, potential revenue gains, and examples from neighboring states, the pressure is on lawmakers to act. But constitutional barriers, questions over funding allocation, and political disagreements will continue to shape the conversation in the months and years to come.