PGA Tour Favors Legalized Georgia Sports Betting

• A PGA Tour representative spoke out in favor of legalized Georgia sports betting at latest House Study Committee on Gaming meeting
• Legalized sports betting allows PGA Tour to better connect with fans and bring in a more youthful audience
• The gaming committee will meet throughout the rest of this year to discuss legalized gambling

The PGA Tour is fully in favor of legalized Georgia sports betting.

Scott Warfield, head of the PGA Tour’s Gaming Division, spoke out in favor of full legalization of Georgia sports betting at the most recent House Study Committee on Gaming meeting. The PGA Tour has long been included in Georgia sports betting plans, being listed as a potential license holder in just about every bill that has been introduced.

“If done right, it helps us better engage our core fan and attract new audiences to our game,” Warfield said.

Responsible Gaming is Key For Legalization

The House Study Committee on Gaming hosted its second meeting this week. The committee will continue to meet through Dec. 1, 2025, likely resulting in an official study on sports betting or suggestions on how it may be best done.

Georgia lawmakers have tried, and failed, to pass several bills over the last several years to legalize casino gambling and sports betting. The study committee was formed as a result of the Georgia legislation yet again failing to pass a sports betting bill in the last session.

The PGA Tour and Augusta National Golf Course have been key fixtures in just about every sports betting bill that has been introduced. Augusta National Golf Course is a likely sports betting license holder — along with several other Georgia professional sports franchises — and will be able to offer sports betting after partnering with an operator.

That is, if Georgia ever legalizes sports betting in the first place.

Warfield attended the committee meeting less than 24-hours after Tommy Fleetwood captured the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. He supported the legalization of sports betting, but stressed the importance of responsible gaming and consumer protection if a bill is passed.

“We’re in a constant evolution in what we’re doing with this space. We work hand-in-hand with operators, regulators, legislators, and everyone in between to evolve and adapt our approach so the integrity of our game and wellness of our fans are always protected,” he said.

Legalization will bring better regulatory protections to the state and help the PGA Tour protect its fans and consumers. Warfield noted that sports betting is happening “right this moment” in Georgia, but without any regulatory or consumer protections provided by illegal offshore markets.

The PGA Tour, he said, will continue to elevate its media assets, tournament assets, and other platforms to educate fans and help them avoid developing gambling addictions, or helping to provide them with resources if they do and need assistance.

Attracting More Youthful Fans to Golf

An added benefit to legalized sports betting in the Peach State? Warfield said it will help the PGA attract a more youthful population of fan. I will also help to further engage golf’s core base of fans

“A big part of why the PGA tour participates here is this is a way to get the core fan engaged longer in our sport. They attend more events, watch more of our tournaments, and that is a way to engage with them. We have an older fanbase, and this attracts a 35-to-44 year old fanbase to come in…yes, there is a revenue benefit. Yes, there is an engagement benefit. This is also a way to better monitor what’s happening by bringing it above board.