In a rapid series of events that unfolded within three weeks, a package of bills aimed at legalizing sports betting passed through the Senate but stalled before reaching the full House for consideration.
Despite the House Higher Education Committee’s approval of two key legal sports betting bills—a constitutional amendment and enabling legislation—early on a Thursday, the Rules Committee, despite meeting multiple times that day, did not move the bills forward.
This marked the fourth consecutive session where Georgia lawmakers failed to agree on legal sports betting, with the issue becoming a point of contention yet again.
The failure to reach a consensus in 2021 was attributed to state Democrats withdrawing support in response to Republicans’ controversial voting rights bill.
This year, despite the Republicans’ efforts, they were unable to secure the Democratic support necessary for the two-thirds House majority needed to pass a constitutional amendment, despite success in the Senate.
As the session’s end approached, negotiations continued, revealing a divide in perspective among Atlanta’s lawmakers on the feasibility of passing legal sports betting legislation.
Gambling consultant Brendan Bussmann expressed his disappointment, highlighting the irony of lawmakers trusting voters for reelection but not for approving sports betting via a ballot.
The proposed constitutional amendment, SR 579, aimed to allocate 15% of tax revenue to problem gambling services, with a cap of $22.5 million annually, marking it as one of the most generous provisions for responsible gambling in the United States.
Had the resolution advanced, another amendment proposed to reduce this funding to 5%.
Advocate Brianne Doura-Schawohl commended Georgia’s commitment to addressing problem gambling, noting the state’s potential leadership in contributing to this public health issue.
Despite Georgia’s potential to become a new legal wagering state in 2024, alongside 12 other states still considering legalization, the stalled legislation underscores the complexity and divisiveness of introducing legal sports betting in various jurisdictions, including the neighboring states of Alabama and South Carolina, and the ongoing discussions in Minnesota and potential ballot initiatives in Missouri.