Georgia House Committee to Study Impact of Sports Betting

Lawmakers in Georgia are preparing to take another swing at legalizing sports betting.

The new House Study Committee on Gaming in Georgia held its first meeting on Monday. The group will be reviewing and debating the merits of legalized gambling in the state. While casino gaming was the focus of the first meetings, sports betting is expected to dominate future meetings. 

The committee is being asked to deliver recommendations on legalizing both industries by December 1. That means sports bettors will likely need to wait until at least 2027 for a legal market to launch.

Sports betting has struggled to gain momentum in Georgia, despite many neighboring states launching regulated markets. There was some hope that a pair of bills proposed earlier this year would have the support to pass, but floor votes weren’t held before the session ended on March 6. 

The failure to hold votes on the pair of sports betting bills was blamed on their late introduction. That has some industry proponents hopeful that legalization may be closer than expected.

Public Support is Strong

While many Georgia lawmakers have staunchly opposed legalizing sports betting, pressure from the public is continuing to grow. According to a University of Georgia study from December 2024, 63% of residents are in favor of a regulated market. 

The support has industry proponents changing strategies to legalize sports betting. That includes introducing bills to create a constitutional amendment, which would let the public vote on legalization. This will put pressure on opponents, who may be hesitant to oppose the public’s voice with a critical November 2026 election approaching quickly.

Any constitutional amendment proposal would have to be passed ahead of the midterm elections next year. If it fails, residents wouldn’t have another chance to vote on the topic until 2028.