Efforts to legalize sports betting in Georgia (Senate Bill 386 and Senate Resolution 579) did not move in Georgia’s House Higher Education committee hearing Monday. With just three days left in the state’s legislative session, the clock is ticking before the legislative session ends Thursday.
A vote is expected Wednesday. If it passes out of the committee, it will then go to the Georgia House of Representatives. The measure would have to pass by a ⅔ majority vote before the constitutional amendment heads to the voters in November.
Proceeds would be used to increase funding to the state’s Pre-K programs, according to Senate Bill 386. It was filed by state Senator Clint Dixon, a Republican from Buford. The bill will now head to the Georgia House.
These bills would not legalize daily fantasy sports sites, but would bring up to 16 mobile betting apps to Georgia. Wagering on both college and professional sports would be allowed.
According to the provisions outlined in the bill, it would have regulations and parameters to protect bettors. According to state Senator Dixon, it would also generate over $100 million in annual revenue based on estimates. Those proceeds would help fund the Hope Scholarship and the Zell Miller Scholarship.
The measure would create sixteen licenses. One license would be given to the Georgia Lottery. Eight licenses would be handed to the following professional sports teams in Georgia: the MLB’s Atlanta Braves, the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream, Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United. Other licenses would go to NASCAR’s Atlanta Motor Speedway, and golf’s Augusta National and the PGA.
The bill would tax 20% of proceeds, after prizes are paid to gamblers.
In November 1992, Georgians voted to amend the Constitution and create a state lottery to fund the HOPE Scholarship and the nation’s first state funded universal Pre-K program. However, nearly 33 years later, the promise of fully-funded Pre-K has not materialized.
“There are a lot of people who receive HOPE Scholarship but the HOPE Scholarship is not open for everyone,” explained Dr. Jasmine Clark, a state Representative from Lilburn. “There are a lot of constituents out there, a lot of families out there that would benefit from us fully funding pre-K. While finding Hope is great, I love it. But that’s not for every single student in Georgia.”
State Senator Sam Cowsert, a Republican from Athens, said there is no language in either bill that creates funding for free school lunches or for any programs for Georgia’s K-12 public schools.
“I wanted to know if this allocation for educational purposes includes the free school lunch for our students, and how we can get that in there?”, asked State Representative Imani Barnes, a Democrat from Tucker.
In November 1992, Georgians voted to amend the Constitution and create a state lottery to fund the HOPE Scholarship and the nation’s first state funded universal Pre-K program. However, nearly 33 years later, the promise of fully-funded Pre-K has not materialized.
Currently, thirty-eight states allow sports betting. Conversely, Georgia along with Alabama, Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Utah prohibit sports betting.