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Georgia will once again see a calendar year pass without legal sports betting. House Resolution 450 garnered only 63 of the required 120 votes, failing to advance to the Senate.
Georgia has tried—and failed—multiple times to pass sports betting legislation. The defeat of HR 450 is the latest in a series of bills that have failed to reach the governor’s desk.
The constitutional hurdle: HR 450 explained
The Georgia Constitution explicitly bans pari-mutuel betting and most forms of commercial gambling. This hurdle was previously cleared to legalize the lottery in 1992, when the Legislature and the governor enacted legislation to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot for voters to decide.
Georgians overwhelmingly approved of the lottery, which has remained the only significant form of legal gambling since 1992. With HR 450, bill sponsor Rep. Marcus Wiedower, R-Watkinsville, looked to use that same model to build enough legislative support to place an amendment on the ballot this November.
Voters will not get that chance, as the lopsided 63-98 vote doomed the resolution in the House.
Georgia as a southeast gambling desert
Since the U.S. Supreme Court paved the way for states to legalize sports gambling in 2018, 40 states and Washington, D.C., have launched some form of wagering. Aside from the lottery or a casino cruise out of Brunswick, Georgia offers no legal options for sports betting.
Many of Georgia’s neighbors—traditionally gambling-averse—have legalized sports betting in some form. As a result, tax revenue from Georgia residents often ends up in the coffers of nearby states.
Looking ahead to the 2027 legislative session
It is a familiar refrain for gambling enthusiasts in the Peach State: 2027 is now the earliest Georgia could legalize sports betting. While the process generally requires House and Senate approval followed by the governor’s signature, the legislative vehicle could change.
Harold Melton, former chief justice of the Georgia Supreme Court, maintains that nuances in the state constitution mean an amendment may not be required to legalize sports betting. While previous legislative attempts to bypass the ballot referendum route have also failed, that strategy remains an option for future sessions.
