Georgia lawmakers are likely to take another run at sports betting legalisation in 2026 after a study group quietly added the issue to its recommendations last month.
Legislators in the state have discussed sports betting the past several sessions, but with numerous hurdles have been unable to come to a consensus. Now, the Senate Study Committee on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism filed a report in December that included the recommendation of sports betting legalisation.
The move keeps sports betting on the table in a state where polls show broad public support, but where partisan fights and constitutional questions have repeatedly derailed legislation.
The recommendation was added at the last minute, according to The Center Square.
“It was a simple recommendation much like the rest of the list,” Senator Drew Echols, chairman of the committee, told the publication. “The recommendations are just that. Hard to say how many if any of the recommendations will come to fruition.”
Numerous sports betting proposals have been offered in recent years, but they have been stymied by lack of bipartisan support and disagreement over whether a constitutional amendment is required.
Georgia loses key legislative champion
Late in 2025, sports betting also lost a major proponent in Rep. Marcus Wiedower, who resigned in October. Wiedower previously introduced a bill that would have allowed 16 licences with a 24% tax rate on revenue. It was accompanied by a resolution for a constitutional amendment. Both bills would have been alive in the 2026 session, but their sponsor’s departure complicates their chances.
“It doesn’t mean it’s dead, but he’s built a lot of credibility on the issue that will be hard to replace,” industry consultant John Pappas said.
Other industry sources are sour on the chances for sports betting legalisation in 2026.
“It is a difficult year when it’s an election year and we’re faced with a contentious election year,” said Brandt Iden, vice president of government affairs at Fanatics Betting & Gaming. “There are a number of political hurdles that are large that exist. They are issues that need to be overcome that make it more difficult.”
One industry source was even more blunt, asserting “Georgia isn’t legalising sh–.”
Georgia sports betting study committee
The Georgia study committee held four meetings prior to the 1 December report deadline. The state received more than 174 million tourists in 2024 who spent more than $45.2 billion, according to estimates offered by Governor Brian Kemp.
“While we’ve been in a great spot, the No. 1 place to do business … that doesn’t mean we don’t need to keep working, keep pushing forward, get out of the box in out thinking about how we fund projects, how we market tourism and things like that,” Echols said during the first meeting this year.
While the study group was created to talk about the larger issue of tourism, lawmakers heard from more than a dozen industry representatives about sports betting and gambling.
Former North Carolina Rep. Jason Saine, who championed the issue in his state, said Georgia would resemble that market. Saine told Georgia lawmakers the state could generate more than $100 million in tax revenue in the first year. North Carolina, similar in size to Georgia, generated $116 million in its first year. Sports betting carries an 18% tax rate in North Carolina.
“Quite frankly, we’ve been held up as an example for other states. We think we hit a sweet spot,” Saine said. “It’s a little high for my taste, but it’s what we went with to get buy-in.”
Along with sports betting proponents, casino companies also expressed interest during the study committee meetings, including Bally’s Corp, Boyd Gaming, Gaming and Leisure Properties and Wynn Resorts.
Opponents also testified, including the Georgia Baptist Mission Board. Critics say the industry will bring not just tax revenue, but negatives such as increased problem gambling rates.
“It’s intellectually dishonest to talk about the benefits of gambling without talking about the detriments,” said Mike Griffin, public affairs representative for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board.
Georgia hurdles ahead
Previous legalisation attempts have met a variety of failures. Chief among them is a split among lawmakers on whether a constitutional amendment is needed. Some lawmakers believe the industry needs the amendment, while others believe it can fit under the purview of the Georgia Lottery.
The need for a constitutional amendment does make passage a harder feat, as it requires a two-thirds majority in both chambers and statewide voter approval.
In the 2025 session, lawmakers appeared to be on the same page with proposals all attached to constitutional resolutions. If a resolution passes in time, the issue could be on the November 2026 ballot.
Still, Georgia has become a showcase for America’s partisan divide, with sports betting caught in the crosshairs in previous efforts.
In 2021, Democrats pulled support of sports betting after Republicans passed a controversial voting rights bill. In 2023, lawmakers attempted to hijack an unrelated bill after sports betting proposals failed to pass a chamber of origin before the crossover deadline.
Strong support in Georgia
A University of Georgia survey last year reported that 63% of voters in the state favour sports betting legalization.
That support is also represented by the professional sports teams in Atlanta. During the study commission’s meetings, representatives from the teams and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, or MAC, were present, including:
- Jennifer Mastin Giglio, Atlanta Braves SVP of communications
- Tim Zulawski, Arthur M. Blank Sports and Entertainment president
- Andrew Saltzman, Atlanta Hawks CCO
- Scott Warfield, VP of gaming at the PGA Tour
- Nick Fernandez, MAC Senior director of government affairs
Lindsay Slader, SVP of compliance at GeoComply, said there was a 66% increase in attempts to log in from Georgia to sportsbook accounts legal only in other states during the 2024-25 NFL season (5 September 2024 to 9 February 2025). That was 4.4 million checks from 366,00 accounts.
Slader also highlighted Exit 1 on I-75 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, just over the Georgia border. At that exit, there were 834,000 geolocation checks from 13,000 accounts during the season.
Georgia’s latest chance for sports betting will likely hinge on a Senate committee report that adds legalisation to a broader tourism agenda.