Georgia Sports Betting Bill Would Authorize Up To 18 Online Books
A new proposal for legal Georgia sports betting seems to borrow a few ideas from recently launched Ohio.
SB57 is a bipartisan proposal with 10 Sponsors who would authorize up to 18 Online GA sportsbook, nine of which are for state sports franchises. Also allowed are limited in-person sports betting at restaurants and bars with liquor licenses through kiosks.
The bill was introduced Tuesday but was neither read nor assigned to a committee Wednesday. The bill is similar SB142 which failed in 2022.
Who Would Get the GA Sports Betting License?
The bill specifically provides five online betting licenses for professional teams playing baseball, basketball, football and soccer:
- Atlanta Braves
- Atlanta dream
- Atlanta hawks
- Atlanta F.C
- Atlanta Hawks
The other four reserved licenses are for the PGA Tour, Augusta National, Atlanta Motor Speedway and Michelin racetrack.
Having these nine entities 60 days after the effective date of the bill of July 1 to express their interest in an online license. Failure to provide written notice would result in “permanent disqualification and prohibition of such Type 1 entity from obtaining a Type 1 sports betting license”.
The remaining nine Georgia licenses would be competitively tendered
the Georgia Lottery Corporation would lead the public tender process for the remaining nine licenses.
Whether licensing is as an affiliate of one of the nine designated licensees or through the lottery, applicants will pay a $100,000 Application fee and an annual license fee of 1 million dollars. Industrial suppliers pay a $10,000 registration fee etc $100,000 Annual fee.
Each online sports betting license is valid for 20 years. The operators would pay a 20% Tax to offer sports betting, with no indication of whether advertising costs can be deducted. The proposal calls for the use of official league data for sports with US-based governing bodies.
Applications can be submitted no earlier than four months after the newly formed group of seven Georgia Gaming Corporation has all its members and a CEO.
Newsstand sportsbook limited like Ohio
Just like in Ohio, not all betting options found online will be available at the kiosks of alcohol-licensed establishments. These kiosks can offer five types of bets:
- Fixed odds
- money line
- over under
- games
- Spread
Retailers and platform operators would pay $10,000 to apply and $100,000 per year. Dealers would pay $500 to apply and $500 a year. In between there will be five to 10 Dealer Licensed.
Georgia sports betting background
Sports betting bills are nothing new in Georgia as proposals have not crossed the finish line in the last three years.
In 2020a last-minute “Hail Maria” failed to legalize online sports betting with a 10% Tax rate. The effort inside 2021 was influenced by politics. Democratic supporters dropped interest after Republicans backed proposals to restrict voter rights.
Last year’s gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams said she would support a referendum to let Georgia’s voters decide on casinos and sports betting, but was beaten by the incumbent Brian Kemp.
According to Constitution of the Atlanta Journal poll by 860 registered voters in the last month, 49% either strongly or somewhat support the legalization of sports betting in Georgia. This is below of 57% support in 2020.
opposition was 37% while were fifteen% unsure.
