Atlanta Gets SB LXII, Will Georgia Super Bowl Betting Arrive by Then?

Atlanta Gets SB LXII, Will Georgia Super Bowl Betting Arrive by Then?
Photo by Morry Gash / AP File — Overall view of Mercedes-Benz Stadium before Super Bowl 53 in 2019.

Atlanta is getting the Super Bowl in 2028, but time will tell if Georgia sports betting crosses the goal line by then.

League owners approved Mercedes-Benz Stadium as the site for Super Bowl LXII during the NFL fall meetings Tuesday night.

The specific date in February 2028 wasn’t announced since the game is still more than three years away. Between now and then, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has hinted at adding an 18th game, adding a bye week, and moving sports’ biggest single-event extravaganza to Presidents Day weekend.

That will take some negotiations with the players’ union.

Lawmakers also have some haggling to do before Georgians have access to the best Super Bowl betting apps.

Jeff Amy of the Associated Press tracked the Georgia sports betting debate as the 2024 Georgia legislative session came to a close.

A bill that called for a state constitutional amendment to allow sports betting emerged with successful committee votes on March 28, the final day of the 2024 session.

But, the Georgia House of Representatives could not reach a consensus.

Lawmakers Discussed Georgia Sports Betting in 2024

Some Democrats wanted more say in how the state would spend sports betting revenue. The legislation directed funding toward Pre-K and college scholarship programs.

House Minority Whip Sam Park said the proposed sports betting revenue package “deviates from the bipartisan compromise in the state Senate that prioritized funding for voluntary pre-K.”

A group of Republicans worry that sanctioned sports betting creates an addictive market — especially for the state’s younger constituents.

“If the state says it’s OK, it becomes OK for a lot of people not doing this now,” state Rep. Clay Pirkle told the AP.

Fellow Republican Rep. Marcus Wiedower disagrees. He sponsored the sports betting measure in the House.

“This allows us to get those people off an illegal market into a legal market, allows us to regulate it and tax it, and take care and protect Georgia citizens,” he said.

Forecast For Georgia Super Bowl Betting

Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has sidestepped the sticky issue of sports betting in his toss-up state. In 2022, he told reporters at the state capitol that his position on gambling “hasn’t changed.”

“To be able to do that here, it’s going to take a constitutional amendment,” he told them. “It doesn’t really matter what the governor thinks; you can’t veto a constitutional amendment.”

A constitutional amendment needs a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate. The chambers have three legislative sessions to approve a sports betting package if they want it in time for the Georgia Super Bowl betting.

“This is a tremendous honor for the city of Atlanta and the state of Georgia to be selected as host for Super Bowl LXII,” Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank said. “Thank you to my fellow owners for their trust in awarding Atlanta this opportunity.”

Georgia Gaming Options While You Wait

Social sportsbooks like Fliff and Thrillz navigate state regulations through free-to-play games. The apps resemble what you see at popular sportsbooks like DraftKings or FanDuel, which aren’t available in Georgia. Users can redeem premium coins for real cash prizes. Friends can use standard coins for friendly competitions.

Sweepstakes casino games, including WOW Vegas, High Five Casino, and Funzpoints Casino, are available. Like social sportsbooks, they use sweeps coins or points that can be redeemed for real cash prizes.

About the Author
Russ Mitchell

Russ Mitchell

Lead Writer
Russ Mitchell joined Gaming Today as a lead writer in February 2023 after joining Catena Media in 2021 as a managing editor for the PlayIA and PlayVA brands. He covers sports betting industry, market developments, the college sports betting industry, and the four major North American pro sports leagues. He brings 25+ years of journalism experience to Gaming Today. He is a five-time winner of the Iowa’s prestigious Harrison “Skip” Weber Investigative Reporting award, a two-time National Newspaper Association award winner and a 50-time Iowa Newspaper Association award winner.

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