Could Sports Betting In Georgia Become A Reality In 2022?

• Lawmakers in Georgia are once again opening the discussion for a regulated sports betting market.
• House of Representative members plan to discuss sports gaming at length during the 2022 legislative session in January.
• There is growing optimism that these discussions on sports wagering will be more successful than in previous years.

ATLANTA – Georgia may see a new sports betting and gambling bill presented in January in the hopes of launching a gaming market in 2022.

The 2022 legislative session will see the Georgia General Assembly discuss several topics with expanded gambling being one of the big-ticket discussions of the year.

Members of the Georgia House of Representatives feel optimistic that a bill to expand the local market and launch regulated sports betting will be successful this time around.

Sports Betting In Georgia

While there are many steps before a Georgia sports betting market can go live, it is good news to see that lawmakers are still perusing the market after failing to pass any legislation in 2021.

The most recent gambling bill, Senate Resolution 135, failed to reach the House of Representatives floor. Local lawmakers were encouraged by this measure, however, as it was the furthest an expanded gambling bill has ever moved.

“It looks more encouraging than ever,” said Ron Stephens, State Rep., R-Savannah.

With more than half of the country passing sports betting legislation and Georgia now bordering three active markets, lawmakers think that detractors could be motivated to launch now.

What Would The GA Sports Gaming Market Look Like?

Representatives in favor of sports betting are aiming to have a market similar to Tennessee’s where it would be online only. Georgia has no physical casinos. This would allow the industry to go live statewide with sports betting mobile platforms and without the need to open any physical venues.

Alongside the legislators in favor of sports betting, local professional teams including the Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Falcons, and the Atlanta Braves have vocally endorsed the potential sports gaming market.

“They want folks sitting in stadiums betting on their phones,” said Alan Powell, State Rep., R-Hartwell.

With the growing support from local professional teams and the optimism from state representatives, 2022 could be a big year for sports betting to finally become a regulated industry in Georgia.

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