Georgia Senate Pushes to Legalize Online Sports Betting

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Georgia Senate Pushes to Legalize Online Sports Betting

A newly released recommendation from the Georgia Senate Study Committee on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism could put the spotlight back on legalizing online sports betting in the Peach State. 

The committee’s final report urges lawmakers to authorize mobile wagering, arguing it could help harness fresh revenue and support major events. 

Why the Georgia Senate Committee is Urging Legalization

The tourism committee, chaired by Drew Echols, inserted the call for legal online sports betting as a last-minute addition to its 2025 recommendations. The recommendation aims to leverage the growing influence of US online sportsbooks as a tool to draw visitors and fund infrastructure. 

According to the report, revenue from mobile sports betting could help attract major events such as concerts and sporting competitions. Those events, in turn, could drive visitor spending across the state. 

The committee pointed to the example of a neighboring state, North Carolina. There, lawmakers reportedly allocate around 30 percent of sports-betting revenue to lure major events. That model impressed some Georgia business leaders and lawmakers as a successful blueprint to increase tourism and generate revenue. 

Previous Efforts and the Future of Mobile Bets

Georgia has repeatedly sought to establish legal sports betting but with little success so far. In early 2025, the state House advanced legislation (House Bill 686 and companion House Resolution 450) that would have allowed online sports wagering regulated by the state lottery. 

Meanwhile, a separate effort through Senate Resolution 131 which sought a constitutional amendment to permit sports betting and casino gambling. However, it failed to pass in committee earlier this year. The vote against it stalled any chance of a statewide referendum for 2026. 

Despite these setbacks, the tourism-committee recommendation marks a fresh push for Georgia’s betting industry. Experts and pro-gaming advocates argue that with proper oversight and a tax framework, regulated mobile betting could flourish. Opponents, however, continue raising concerns over social costs and addiction. 

Will Online Sportsbooks Be a Reality?

Does online sports betting have a real future in Georgia? The new recommendation offers reason for optimism. The fact that the mobile-betting idea was quietly added to a tourism agenda suggests growing political interest. 

If lawmakers follow through with enabling legislation, Georgia could soon join the many states already benefiting from US online sportsbooks. However, it will depend on whether political will meets regulatory caution in 2026.