Sports betting legislation in Georgia remains stagnant in 2025, with bills failing to progress, effectively ending the possibility of legalized sports betting this year.
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Another year, another roadblock for expanding gambling in the Peach State, Georgia. By the end of February 2025, sports betting legislation had bit the dust again, as neither of the two bills could move from one legislative chamber to another on the critical cutoff day, commonly known as "Crossover Day."
Crossover Day, taking place on March 6, marks the 28th day of the legislative session, and acts as the deadline for bills to pass in either the state Senate or House. Those that don't make the jump – the proverbial "crossover" – are left for dead until the following year.
Two key bills, HB 686 and HR 450, aimed to take legalized sports betting to the next level in Georgia. HB 686 would have opened the door for the regulation and taxation of sports betting in the state, while HR 450 would have put the matter to a popular vote. Polling suggests that a majority of Georgians would support legalizing sports betting.
House Higher Education Committee Chairman Chuck Martin comments: "It came in late and I guess people just weren't there yet."
Under the terms of HB 686, up to 16 "Type 1" sports betting licenses could have been issued. These coveted licenses would have been up for grabs by professional sports teams, golf courses, race tracks, the Georgia Lottery (which would have overseen sports betting), and online operators, who would have applied via a public bidding process.
The "Type 1" sports betting licenses would have come with a $100,000 application fee and an annual fee of $1 million. Operators would have been subject to a 24% tax on their gross adjusted income.
Proceeds from legalized sports betting would have been earmarked for the same causes as lottery funds, primarily for funding the HOPE Scholarship program for students and public pre-K programs.
While Georgia's sports betting legalization efforts remain in limbo as of 2025, there is hope on the horizon. One such route lies in tying legalization to the 2026 midterm elections, via voter-approved constitutional amendments. Another approach being considered involves prioritizing mobile sportsbooks under lottery oversight, bypassing the need for physical venues.
The momentum for legalization now rests on the strategies to be pursued during the 2026 legislative sessions. Advocates are counting on election-year dynamics and the pressure from neighboring states with legal sports betting to push Georgia towards legalizing sports betting.
- Despite two significant bills, HB 686 and HR 450, aimed at legalizing sports betting in Georgia by 2025, they failed to cross over during Crossover Day, marking their end until the following year.
- If the 2026 midterm elections were to include voter-approved constitutional amendments for legalizing sports betting, it may rekindle Georgia's stalled sports betting legalization efforts.
- The ongoing momentum for legalization now resides in the strategies employed during the 2026 legislative sessions, particularly prioritizing mobile sportsbooks under the Georgia Lottery's oversight to bypass the need for physical venues.
