Although it isn’t yet over the line yet, lawmakers will revisit whether to legalize sports betting in Georgia at their next meeting, which means it could be discussed as we speak.
Georgia Sports Betting Most Recent Updates
Recently, Georgia lawmakers passed voter suppression bills. Indeed, it didn’t only lose the 2021 MLB All-Star game, there was also a strong political divide that affected the future of Georgia sports betting legislation – and whether there would ever be access to any online sportsbook.
Indeed, Democrat lawmakers withheld their votes on Senate Bill 142, regarding legalizing sports betting) as a protest over additional voter suppression legislation.
This is a big issue, given that sports betting in Georgia has often been backed by the Democrats, so they are relying on pro-betting Republicans to pressure fellow party members to drop the voter suppression effort.
There is the chance that two sports betting bills at the Federal level might bring an end to state-level voter suppression laws forever. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that it will help Georgia sports betting legislation being passed in the November 2o22 ballot.
The good news is that the state senate will reintroduce SB 142. However, considering voter suppression standoffs will probably be an issue that won’t be going anywhere, it doesn’t mean we can be too optimistic.
When Will Georgia Have Legal Sports Betting?
If the Georgia General Assembly were to pass SB 142, then voters would be required to approve any change to Georgia’s state constitution. Georgia would then need to make the rules and regulations, approve licenses and approve retail and online sports betting launch.
As such, this is not possible before at least the latter part of 2023 – at the very earliest. The only alternative is whether Georgia lawmakers choose to legalize sports betting with no constitutional amendment, which is highly unlikely. If that were the case, it could mean legal sports betting by mid-2022.
However this is certainly not to be expected – and it is more likely that SB 142 will be quashed in 2022 and the timeline is pushed back for a 2024 vote for late 2025 legislation.
The Top Future Georgia Sports Betting Sites
Because we don’t know when it will happen, we cannot yet know what sports betting companies will apply for a Georgia sports betting license. However, there are already several daily fantasy sports sites already available to Georgia sports bettors as there is no legislation making DFS illegal in the state.
As such, big-name operators including FanDuel, DraftKings and Yahoo! Fantasy have already launched online sportsbooks and mobile sports betting apps for fantasy betting in the state.
There are also probably going to be other operators that will apply for a Georgia betting license after betting in Georgia is legalized. This could include BetRivers – an excellent mobile-optimized sports betting platform
Another candidate would be BetMGM, which is looking to expand in the US, aiming to become a household US name such as DraftKings. It offers lots of betting markets, a generous welcome bonus and even live streaming. In addition, Caesars Sportsbook is also a possibility, which offers excellent international sports betting markets for US sports bettors who like to wager on other types of sports.
Agreements would need to be made regarding partnerships and Georgia sports betting revenue.
How To Place A Bet In Georgia
Placing a bet in Georgia, when legislated, will be straightforward:
1. Download The Mobile App
Choose a regulated and licensed sports betting app to suit your needs. Look for generous bonus offers, the variety of sports markets and wagers – as well as the usability and reliability of the platform.
2. Register for a New Account
A good betting site should offer a quick and easy registration process. You will need to provide personal details such as name, date of birth, address and your Social Security number to verify your age and identity. It should take just a few minutes.
3. Deposit into Your Account
You will then need to fund your sports betting account using one of the available payment options. These will generally include options such as credit and debit cards, eWallets, bank transfers and more.
Place A Bet
As soon as you have placed funds into your account, you can start betting on whatever sports you want to put your money on straight away. Look out for special promotions and betting opportunities to take advantage of.
Georgia Legal Sportsbooks
Although the future may be looking bright for sports betting in Georgia, the industry has yet to launch in the state – and this is encouraging enthusiastic Georgia bettors to use an illegal or offshore betting site to get their fix.
We would never recommend this, however. Illegal and offshore betting sites are generally known to have bad digital security, which means that your personal data and your invested funds are at risk from cybercriminals. Moreover, there are no licensing and regulations that can protect you if the bookmaker decides to not pay out your winnings or take your money.
You should only ever go with licensed and regulated sportsbooks, which will certainly arrive in Georgia when the sports betting industry is fully launched. They will be safe, secure and trustworthy.
It would also be beholden to the Georgia Lottery which will be regulating the industry when it does finally get legalized. As such, if you do have any problem, you will have somewhere to turn.
Georgia Sports Betting Revenue
Right now, predicting the Georgia sports betting revenue is difficult because it hasn’t yet launched.
However, several sports betting legalization supporters and organizations have predicted that in its first year, it could bring in anywhere between $30 to $100 million. This money could have plenty of state uses, such as funding needs-based scholarships, broadband expansion and healthcare.
Georgia Highs and Lows
Georgia Sports Betting Success
There aren’t many sports betting highs for Georgia right now – as there has never been any retail sports betting or mobile sports betting available legally. There is the Emerald Princess Casino, a cruise out of Brunswick, which is the only place that Georgia residents can partake in traditional gambling activities, but even this doesn’t offer sports betting.
However, there is still the option of Daily fantasy sports available in the state as this isn’t specifically illegal. Ultimately, though sports betting will probably launch quickly as soon as a majority vote legalizes it.
Also, most of the major sports teams in Georgia – such as the Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Braves support sports betting legislations, which again, means that it is certainly something that will likely happen in the future.
Georgia Online Gambling Laws
Well, there is certainly plenty of room for improvement – as it still needs to legalize sports online betting. It is also still yet to legalize other types of gambling such as casino and poker games. Up to date, the only gambling allowed in the state is sweepstakes poker and social casinos. Here, you can play online casino games but only for sweep coins that you can be exchange for cash prizes.
The Legalization Efforts In Georgia
The efforts to legalize sports betting in Georgia has been a long and drawn-out process, which has had plenty of developments. It took years for the sports betting bills to get to the Georgia House and Senate.
The Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee received a sports betting bill at the start of 2020, but this petered out quickly with little support.
More recently, other bills have managed to gain traction and Senator Burt Jones along with his supporters pushed several times for new drafts of the bills.
Two further bills, HB 93 and SB 142 passed House and Senate respectively, but even these failed to pass before the end of the 2021 legislative session.
Georgia Sports Betting Timeline
- 2017: They almost legalized Daily Fantasy Sports but it wasn’t brought to a full vote, leaving it a grey area legally.
- 2017: The state legislature introduced a bill for two land-based casinos, which both failed.
- 2018: The Supreme Court ruled that banning sports betting in the whole US was unconstitutional.
- 26th February 2021: The Georgia House of Representatives voted to legalize online and mobile betting.
- 5th March 2021: The Georgia Senate voted to approve sports betting bill SB 142, allowing the public to vote for it at the next state ballot.
- 2nd April 2021: The end of the 2021 legislative session ended, which means that SB 142 also came to an end – along with any hope of legalizing sports betting that year.
- January 2022: The Georgia Legislative session will give sports bettors another chance to vote for legalising sports betting at a November 2022 ballot.
Georgia Professional Sports Teams
Here are the teams Georgia sports bettors will be able to vote on:
Georgia Professional Major League Teams
Several major league sports teams are based in Georgia:
- NFL bettors can wager on the Atlanta Falcons
- NBA bettors can wager on the Atlanta Hawks
- MLB fans can bet on the Atlanta Braves
- There is also a state MLS team – The Atlanta United
So, when betting finally does arrive in Georgia there will be all types of wagers for betting for – or even against your favorite Georgia sports team. There is no surprise that each of these teams backs legal sports wagering!
Georgia College Sports Teams
As well as a decent number of professional sports teams, there are also a number of popular college football teams located in the state: Georgia Southern, Georgia State, The University of Georgia and Georgia Tech all field powerful teams that play in the Football Bowl subdivision.
However, collegiate betting is different from pro sports betting, so it is yet unclear whether or not Georgia legalizes sports betting for college and professional sports alike.
Other Sports
As well as the four major sports leagues, when sports betting does arrive in Georgia, other sports you will likely be able to bet on include soccer, golf, cricket, tennis, UFC, darts, motor racing, boxing and more.
All major online sports betting sites will offer all major international sports as well as more niche sports and some may even offer esports betting if it is legalized.
Georgia Sports Betting FAQs
Is Online Sports Betting Legal in Georgia?
Not right now, no. The only sites that accept players from Georgia are offshore sites operating illegally. However, you can bet on Daily Fantasy Sports at sites such as FanDuel and DraftKings which are regulated and legal in the US.
How Old Will I Need to be to Make Online Sports Bets in GA?
In line with other states, as and when sports betting is legalized, you will need to be at least 21 years of age or older to place a bet.
Who Will Regulate Online Sports Betting in Georgia?
It’s likely that online sports betting sites and mobile sportsbook apps will be regulated by the Georgia Lottery.
Is DraftKings Available in Georgia?
Yes, it is available – but only for daily fantasy sports betting. It is not legal for DraftKings to accept traditional sports bets from residents of Georgia and this will be the case until sports betting is legalized in the state.
Are Online Sportsbook Apps Safe?
Yes, as long as it is an app that has been fully licensed and regulated. Legal sports betting apps have the highest level of security and can be fully trusted. However, these are not yet available to anyone betting in the state lines of Georgia.
Can I Bet on College Sports in Georgia?
No, you can neither bet on pro sports nor college sports in Georgia right now. However, if and when the state legalizes sports betting, there is a good chance that some sort of college sports betting will be permitted
