Looking for the lowdown on whether sports betting is legal in the Peach State? At Compare.bet, we’ve got all the information you need. On the whole, gambling laws in Georgia are pretty restrictive — read on below for all the details.
Legality of Gambling in Georgia
Currently, there are only three forms of gambling allowed in Georgia: lotteries, bingo games, and raffles, in particular for charitable organizations. There are also strict requirements on how revenue from the state lottery is used, with a large proportion going towards education in the state.
Everything else — including sports betting, wagering on horse or dog racing, and maintenance of gambling places or equipment — is illegal. Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) is somewhat of an exception currently. Although it’s not technically legal, it’s currently tolerated by lawmakers due to a lack of proper legislation and operates like DraftKings and FanDuel are available to Georgians.
So, what does the future hold in terms of legal sports betting in Georgia? At the very least, we won’t know until 2023 — the state legislature ended its 2022 session before a bill could be added to the ballot. That said, House Speaker David Ralston has previously suggested a vote to allow Georgians to decide if they want casino gambling to be legalized. There also seems to be appetite among lawmakers to introduce legal gambling to the state, with many deeming mobile sports betting a likely possibility in the years to come.
In any case, our team at Compare.bet are keeping their fingers on the pulse of the latest changes, and we’ll be sure to keep you informed of any developments.