Georgia Sports Betting Talks Reemerge With A 2025 Resolution

• Four Georgia senators filed SR 131 on Tuesday, which would create a legal Georgia sports betting and casino industry.
• Past attempts have failed to progress a Georgia sports betting bill, but neighboring states could expedite it in 2025.
• As introduced, the measure would tax Georgia sportsbooks at 20% and offer at least eight betting operators.
• The potential launch date for sports betting in Georgia would be sometime in 2027, as voters would have to approve it on the 2026 ballot.

ATLANTA – Georgia lawmakers have begun their 2025 sports betting legalization process with a newly filed resolution aiming to amend the state constitution. Sponsored by four state senators, Senate Resolution 131 (SR 131) seeks to authorize the Georgia General Assembly to regulate and tax sportsbooks and casinos, creating an entire gambling industry from scratch.

Introduced Tuesday, the resolution proposes a 20% tax rate on legal sports betting and casino revenue and mandates the creation of a Georgia Gaming Commission to oversee operations. If approved by the legislature, the GA SR 131 would be put to a statewide vote in November 2026.

Key Details of SR 131

• Sponsors: Senators Carden Summers (13th District), Billy Hickman (4th District), Brandon Beach (21st District), and Lee Anderson (24th District).
• Tax Rate: 20% on gross revenue, with proceeds directed to a newly established Georgia Gaming Proceeds Fund.
• Casino Licenses: At least eight casino licenses will be issued, but there is no cap on the total number.
• Regulation: A Georgia Gaming Commission will be created to oversee sports betting and casino operations.
• Legislative Timeline: The bill must pass the Senate by March 6, 2025 (the Georgia crossover deadline), and the legislative session concludes on April 4, 2025.

While the resolution explicitly permits casino gambling, it prohibits online casino gaming (iGaming) through language negating “off-site casino gambling activities”.

A Long Road to Legalization

As this is just the introduction, there is still a long process in a state that has historically been resistant to legal gambling expansion.

Previous efforts to make sports betting legal in Georgia failed to gain traction. However, growing public interest and the success of other states with legal sports betting like neighboring Tennessee and North Carolina may influence the debate.

If the resolution passes the legislature, Georgia voters will have the final say in 2026. A successful referendum would position Georgia to launch sports betting in 2027 and become a major player in the US gaming market.

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