GeoComply data shows that Georgia sports betting is on the minds of plenty of residents during NFL games.
The geolocation firm found that more than 7,800 sports betting accounts tried to access legal sportsbooks in other states on Sunday of Week 11. Activity from those accounts resulted in more than 42,000 geolocation checks, indicating that while lawmakers may not be ready for legal Georgia sports betting, many people in the state appear to be.
The data represents growth of 129% and 105% in accounts and checks, respectively, over the same time last year.
How location data shows demand for Georgia sports betting
Let’s say you owned one of the nearly 8,000 accounts that tried to access legal sports betting in another state.
You logged into your account because you wanted to bet the over on Bijan Robinson’s total rushing yards against the Denver Broncos. You tried to make the wager via North Carolina’s version of the sportsbook app where you have an account, only to have the app block you because your phone isn’t located in North Carolina.
The geolocation company will work with the sportsbook to identify the location of a phone when it accesses a sports betting account and notes where you were when you accessed your account. This is a key service, as a state where online sports betting is legal will allow bets to take place only within that state’s borders.
If you are even a few feet into Georgia, you won’t be able to place your bet.
What GeoComply’s data tells us
GeoComply released its geolocation data earlier this week on Twitter. It included a heat map of bets, a map that showed Atlanta with the most number of geolocation checks. While logins were concentrated in cities, there were plenty of attempts made (presumably) from vehicles on highways leading to and from Atlanta.
GeoComply’s data indicates demand for legal online sports betting among people in Georgia. However, lawmakers haven’t agreed, keeping the state in the Banned Belt that extends from Alabama to South Carolina.
Could 2025 be the year for legal Georgia sports betting?
Lawmakers made a big push earlier this year to pass a sports betting bill. However, arguments over how tax revenue would be spent doomed any hope of legal Georgia sports betting.
Beyond the geolocation data, past surveys have also indicated a desire for sports betting among residents.
For example, the Georgia Recorder noted a 2022 survey that reported 45.6% of likely voters wanted to legalize online sports betting, 42.6% didn’t, and 11.6% didn’t know.
If there’s any positive to this year’s legislative failures for sports betting backers, it’s that lawmakers were hung up on tax revenue rather than the legality of sports betting. For now, there is no guarantee that sports betting will be a legislative topic for the Peach State in 2025.
