Georgia’s sports betting dream is currently on hold until the 2024 Georgia legislative session. The main sponsor of the Senate bill, Republican majority leader Bill Cowsert, aimed to amend the state constitution to allow the legislature to pass laws related to sports betting. However, the bill, known as Senate Resolution 140, did not receive the necessary two-thirds majority to amend the constitution, ultimately failing with a vote of 30-26.
Had the resolution passed, sports betting would have been put on the ballot for a referendum in November 2024. However, there is little chance of the enabling legislation Senate Bill 172, which outlines the specifics of the state’s regulatory regime for sports betting in the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (OCGA), progressing any further.
Currently, Georgia prohibits most forms of gambling, with the exception of lotteries. Therefore, without the necessary constitutional amendment, sports betting will remain prohibited in the state until at least 2024.
Source: iGB North America
