Time Running Out on Georgia Sports Betting

• Only two legislative days remain in the Georgia session
• A Georgia sports betting package still needs to move through committee
• Vote on the House floor is still a necessity

The clock is officially ticking on Georgia’s sports betting chances for 2024.

Proponents of a Senate-approved sports betting package may not have enough time remaining in the 2024 legislative session to move the legislation through the finish line, as it’s currently mired in a House committee.

The Georgia House Committee on Higher Education needs to approve a sports betting bill, and accompanying constitutional amendment resolution, next week before moving the package to the House floor for a potential vote. However, its odds of approval are dwindling as there are only two legislative days remaining in the session this year,

Down to the Wire

Despite being quickly approved by the Senate, SB 386, a bill to legalize online sports betting, and SR 579, a resolution legalizing sports betting through a constitutional amendment, have since stalled in the House. The Georgia House Committee on Higher Education held two public hearings on the legislation the last two weeks, but did not take any official action on the bills.

Sen. Clint Dixon’s (R-45) bill, SB 386, aims to legalize online sports betting for 16 license holders in the state. The legislation sets the sports betting tax rate at 20% of adjusted gross revenue. Licenses would cost $1 million annually to renew and applicants would have to pay a $100,000 application fee. It would allow for bets on college sports.

The bill was approved 35-15 by members of the Senate in early February, but amended to require a constitutional amendment before going into effect. Sen. Bill Cowsert (R-16) introduced the amendment and later submitted SR 579, which requires Georgia voters to approve a constitutional amendment in the November general election to legalize sports betting. The Georgia Senate passed SR 579 in late February by a 41-12 vote, surpassing the required three-fifths majority.

A committee meeting yesterday was scheduled to potentially vote on the legislation, but was cancelled after the House’s floor session ran late. The committee is not scheduled to meet today and will not meet until Monday afternoon at 2 p.m.

So where does that leave Georgia’s sports betting chances? The committee will likely have to vote and approve both pieces of legislation on Monday afternoon and move them to the House for Tuesday’s session. The House will have to call the bills to the floor, approve both of them (each by a three-fifths majority), and then send them back to the Senate for concurrence if any amendments are made to the package.

Are amendments likely? They have been discussed throughout the committee process,  such as the inclusion of daily fantasy sports language, an increase to the sports betting tax rate, and a change to the sports betting tax revenue disbursement.

The legislative session ends on Thursday, March 28. The bills will have to be approved by the House on Tuesday and any amendments approved by the Senate before Thursday’s deadline.

Is it possible for all this be done next week? It is, but legislators will be jockeying for position to have their bills heard in the last mad dash of lawmaking before the session ends. Sports betting may not be a priority among the pieces of legislation discussed during the final two days.

Georgia Sports Betting Bill Details

If approved, SB 386 will legalize online sports betting for a total of 16 online sports betting licenses, with the numbers breaking down as follows:

• Five for Georgia professional sports teams (Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Braves, Atlanta United FC, and Atlanta Dream)
• One for Augusta National Golf Course
• One for the PGA Tour
• One for Atlanta Motor Speedway
• One for the Georgia Lottery Corporation

The remaining seven licenses will be awarded by the gaming commission.

Despite the waning session, Dixon made it clear that he is willing to work with the House to make the bill more amenable for passage. An increased tax rate to 25% and including daily fantasy sports language are two changes Dixon said he would be agreeable to consider for the bill.

A DFS bill died in the House last week during the state’s crossover day and the only way for the fantasy games to be legalized this year is to be included in another bill.

Cowsert’s resolution set disbursements for any sports betting tax revenue that comes into the state. He filed his resolution with the following sports betting tax revenue disbursements:

• 80% into the Educational Opportunity Fund. The fund will support pre-kindergarten programs in the state. Once fully funded, the remaining revenues will go to the HOPE scholarships
• 15% to a responsible gaming fund
• 5% to a Sports Promotion Fund to attract major sporting events to the state

Cowsert noted he was also open to amending the disbursement, potentially eliminating the sports promotion fund in favor of additional funding to problem gaming services.