Georgia Poised for Potential Sports Betting Boom in 2024
After years of failed attempts to legalize gambling in Georgia, 2024 may be the year for the state to finally embrace sports betting. While previous efforts to introduce casinos and horse racing have been met with resistance, sports betting seems to be the favored option among legislators and political observers.
Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones, who had previously introduced a sports betting bill in 2020, believes that sports betting should be an easy lift compared to the other two forms of gambling. He stated that it is the most popular arena of gambling and has gained significant support.
During this year’s legislative session, sports betting gained momentum when former Georgia Chief Justice Harold Melton opined that it could be legalized without changing the state’s constitution. According to Melton, sports betting falls under the umbrella of a lottery game, which means it could be overseen by the Georgia Lottery Corp, an entity already incorporated into the state constitution.
However, there were opposing views. Some lawmakers preferred a constitutional amendment to allow Georgia voters to decide on sports betting, while an alternative measure was introduced in the Senate to include sports betting in the constitution. Ultimately, both measures were rejected, postponing the decision until 2024.
In the upcoming legislative session, Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones expects the Senate to push for sports betting once again. The Metro Atlanta Chamber, which works closely with Atlanta’s four professional sports teams, will also back the measure as it believes that legalizing sports betting would drive fan engagement for these teams.
Supporters of sports betting also highlighted the potential tax revenue it could generate for the state. The revenue would be allocated to Georgia’s immensely popular HOPE Scholarships and Pre-Kindergarten programs. State Representative Ron Stephens, a long-time advocate of legalized gambling, believes that emphasizing the tax benefits of sports betting could help secure the necessary two-thirds majority votes required for a constitutional amendment.
While other options have been considered, such as combining sports betting, casinos, and horse racing into a single constitutional amendment, many believe it would be too ambitious to pursue all three simultaneously. Supporters agree that it would be wise to prioritize sports betting and address the other forms of gambling at a later stage.
Despite differing views, one thing remains clear: legalized gambling is on the horizon for Georgia. Rick Lackey, an Atlanta-based real estate developer who supports proposed casino resorts, firmly believes that it is only a matter of time before the state embraces gambling in some form.
As Georgia gears up for the potential sports betting boom in 2024, lawmakers will have to navigate the intricacies of the legislative process and weigh the economic benefits against potential concerns. For now, all eyes are on the upcoming General Assembly session in January, where the fate of sports betting in Georgia may finally be determined.
