Georgia Sports Betting
Georgia is not a traditionally pro-gambling state, but its odds of legalizing sports betting have increased dramatically in recent years. A growing contingent of lawmakers support legalization and are exploring different avenues to pass a Georgia sports betting bill.
The Georgia Constitution prohibits most forms of gambling, including casinos and pari-mutuel horse racing wagering. Although the Constitution does not explicitly address sports betting, legalizing online sports betting in Georgia will likely require majority approval in a statewide referendum.
Currently, the closest alternatives to legal online sports betting sites in Georgia are daily fantasy sports apps like FanDuel and DraftKings. In addition, the Georgia Lottery offers the state’s only other form of legal gambling via in-person purchases and online ticket sales.
Legal Georgia Betting Sites
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19+, T&Cs Apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit www.800gambler.org. If you are in Arizona, call the toll-free Arizona statewide helpline at 1-800-NEXTSTEP or text NEXT-STEP to 53342. You may also visit problemgambling.az.gov.
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18/21+, T&Cs apply. Concerned with your play? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit www.ncpgambling.org; AZ: 1-800-NEXT-STEP (1-800-639-8783) or text NEXT-STEP to 53342; NY: Call the 24/7 HOPE line at 1-877-8-HOPENY or Text HOPENY (467369) Learn more about Underdog Contests and how to identify highly experienced players at www.underdogfantasy.com/rules; Learn more about average results at www.underdogfantasy.com/average-results.
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Users must be 18+ years of age to play and deposit (19+ in Nebraska). T&Cs Apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. All users must have only 1 account. If a user is found to be less than 18 years old, their account will be banned and all their entries will be canceled and refunded. If a user is found to have more than 1 account, they will be subject to a ban at Boom’s discretion.
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21+ and present in GA. T&Cs Apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-522-4700.
Georgia Sports Betting Apps
Georgia online sports betting is a work in progress. All sports betting remains prohibited in Georgia today, but it’s not for lack of effort: lawmakers have considered sports betting bills every legislative session for five years running.
More importantly, recent developments indicate a growing number of lawmakers are interested in legalizing sports betting. Additionally, numerous representatives, senators, and other high ranking officials have signaled support for legalization.
Georgia’s latest sports betting attempts involved multiple bills that originated in the Senate. However, the Georgia House once again declined to move forward with any of the proposals that made it through the Senate in 2024.
2024 Georgia Sports Betting Legislation
The most promising Georgia online sports betting bill in 2024, SB 386, advanced further than most measures have in the past.
The bill sought to legalize online sports betting and issue up to 16 licenses to professional sports teams, PGA golf courses, NASCAR race tracks, standalone sportsbook operators, and the Georgia Lottery. In addition, SB 386 would have established a minimum age of 21 to bet on sports in Georgia and assessed a 20% tax on operators.
Initially, SB 386 sought to authorize online sports betting in Georgia without a Constitutional referendum. However, Sen. Bill Cowsert added an amendment that would require the bill to go before the voters in a statewide referendum. SB 386 passed a full Senate vote and received support from Lieutenant Governor Jones along the way, but it died a short time later in the House.
Sen. Cowsert also introduced SR 579 in 2024 to put sports betting before voters on the November ballot as accompanying legislation to SB 386. That bill also passed a full Senate vote and died in the House.
Lawmakers also introduced SR 538, a wide-ranging measure that would have legalized online sports betting and up to five brick-and-mortar casinos. Like SB 386, SR 538 would have required voter approval during the November 2024 election.
Georgia lawmakers revived SB 172 in 2024, a bill that first appeared in 2023. SB 172 would have authorized the Georgia Lottery Corporation to offer online sports betting and issue no fewer than six licenses to qualified applicants. Additionally, the bill would have authorized self-serve wagering kiosks. The Senate tabled SB 172 just four days after its 2024 introduction.
Georgia Daily Fantasy Sports Sites
$100 Deposit BonusPrizePicks Promo Code: BUSAGeorgia gambling laws do not address the legality of daily fantasy sports, but all major DFS brands operate throughout the state. Georgia residents 18 or older can register and participate in contests hosted by operators such as DraftKings, FanDuel, and PrizePicks.
Fantasy sports sites operate in a legal grey area under Georgia law, which could be interpreted as classifying fantasy contests as illegal gambling. In 2016, the office of then-Attorney General Sam Olens issued an opinion that concluded fantasy sports are likely a violation of state gambling laws. However, the opinion was issued as “informal advice” and state authorities have expressed no desire or intention to interfere with the operations of DFS providers in Georgia.
Lawmakers introduced bills in 2017 and 2019 that sought to formally legalize fantasy sports and establish a regulatory framework over the industry. Although both efforts failed to become law, little has changed on the ground for players and operators alike. The DFS industry is still running strong in GA.
Had the most recent GA fantasy sports bill (HB 118) become law, it would have created a licensing process for operators, established licensing fees of $5,000 to $15,000 based on annual revenue, and implemented a 6% tax on licensees.
No additional efforts to legalize DFS in Georgia have been mounted since, with sports betting now drawing the majority of attention from lawmakers interested in expanding Georgia’s legal gaming options.
Georgia Horse Racing Betting
Pari-mutuel horse racing betting in Georgia has never been able to gain much traction due to the state’s historically anti-gambling sentiments.
However, attitudes toward gambling and horse racing betting in Georgia are changing. In early 2022, lawmakers introduced two measures that would legalize horse racing betting, authorize up to five race tracks, and dedicate the associated tax revenues toward education and healthcare.
According to recent estimates, a full-fledged horse racing industry in Georgia could be worth billions and employ thousands of residents. However, legal Georgia horse racing betting faces stiff opposition from anti-gambling groups, and nothing is guaranteed.
Past efforts have faced similar opposition and died as a result. In 2019, State Senator Brandon Beach introduced a bill titled the “Rural Georgia Jobs and Growth Act” to authorize horse racing and parimutuel betting in Georgia.
The bill called for an amendment to the GA Constitution and would have gone to a public referendum that November had it been passed into law. The bill died in committee after failing to gain the support it needed, but the fact that the bill was even introduced can be seen as a small victory in a state that has long resisted most forms of gambling.
In the meantime, the Georgia Horse Racing Coalition continues to advocate for thoroughbred racing. The coalition envisions building a world-class facility and establishing an industry that would have an economic impact of more than $1.2 billion per year and create thousands of jobs.
Online Gambling in Georgia
35 Free Sweepstakes CoinsWOW Vegas Promo Code: None NeededThe odds of online gambling in Georgia being legalized anytime soon are very low under the current political landscape. Georgia’s anti-gambling laws are among the strictest in the nation, prohibiting even horse racing betting and social poker games played at home. In such an environment, legislation authorizing online casinos or poker has little chance of becoming law.
Online gambling is not specifically mentioned in Georgia’s criminal code, but that makes little difference as the law mandates a clear-cut prohibition of gambling in any form.
GA Code § 16-12-20 defines gambling as “an agreement that, dependent upon chance even though accompanied by some skill, one stands to win or lose something of value.” Further on, the code states that a person is considered to be gambling when he or she:
(1) Makes a bet upon the partial or final result of any game or contest or upon the performance of any participant in such game or contest;
(2) Makes a bet upon the result of any political nomination, appointment, or election or upon the degree of success of any nominee, appointee, or candidate; or
(3) Plays and bets for money or other thing of value at any game played with cards, dice, or balls.
Georgia even has its own version of the Federal Wire Act. §16-12-28 makes it an offense to communicate information related to betting, betting odds or changes in betting odds or to install equipment as such. Violators found guilty of “communicating gambling information” are subject to imprisonment of 1-5 years and/or a fine of up to $5,000.
State law also voids all gambling contracts to further dissuade participation in unlawful gambling. Furthermore, money lost by illegal gambling and paid may be recovered from the winner by the loser via legal action.
On gambling contracts, GA Code § 13-8-3 states:
(a) Gambling contracts are void; and all evidences of debt, except negotiable instruments in the hands of holders in due course or encumbrances or liens on property, executed upon a gambling consideration, are void in the hands of any person.
(b) Money paid or property delivered upon a gambling consideration may be recovered from the winner by the loser by institution of an action for the same within six months after the loss and, after the expiration of that time, by institution of an action by any person, at any time within four years, for the joint use of himself and the educational fund of the county.
Georgia Online Lottery
Georgia was one of the first states to take its lottery online after a 2011 Department of Justice ruling declared that the Wire Act does not apply to online lotteries.
Residents of Georgia who are Lottery Players Club members may purchase tickets and play a variety of instant win games online or through the GA Online Lottery mobile app.
Georgia Sports Betting FAQ
Wes Burns has more than a decade’s worth of experience as a writer, researcher and analyst in the legal gambling industry and is co-founder of BettingUSA.com. As a former professional online poker player, Wes approaches his work from the viewpoint of players.