Sports betting has not officially been legislated in the state of Georgia but it has some meaningful momentum heading into 2021. Following the legalization of sports betting in neighboring Tennessee, Georgia is in heavy discussions to address the situation, with a bill currently in the Senate that has a lot of similarities to Tennessee’s.
Editor Note: A new bill advanced in the House of Representatives in January 2021.
The bill, SB 403, would legalize mobile online sports-betting and allow the creation of a new government regulatory body. There are still some snags regarding the tax rate for sports-betting companies, but all four of Georgia’s professional sports teams (the Falcons, Hawks, Braves and United FC) support the bill. (Read Georgia legalization updates).
Georgia has some of the toughest anti-gambling laws in the country, evidenced by the state having no legalized casinos or horse-racing tracks… and as of yet no sports betting. But the illegal sports betting industry in Georgia is estimated to be $1.5 billion dollars, so it seems it’s only a matter of team before the state regulates the system to some degree and gets in on the action.
Is sports betting legal in Georgia?
No. Georgia does not have legalized gambling of any kind, which includes sports betting. Daily fantasy sports is permitted, but not because legislation was passed to allow it… but rather the opposite: DFS is considered a ‘game of skill,’ whereas gambling (and sports betting) is considered a ‘game of luck,’ so DFS is allowed because there is no current legislation saying it’s illegal.
Where can I bet at Georgia sportsbooks?
There are currently no casinos or online sportsbooks for sports betting in Georgia, but residents can play daily fantasy sports via DraftKings, FanDuel, Yahoo! Daily Fantasy and FantasyDraft.
What about mobile sports betting apps in Georgia?
Due to the strict anti-gambling laws in Georgia, there are no mobile sports betting apps in the state right now, but Senate bill SB 403 has been introduced and would lead to legalized online sports betting.