Full Georgia Sports Betting Bill Details Revealed

While the future of Georgia sports betting remains wildly uncertain despite clear interest in its legalization, we now have clarity on the framework of The Peach State’s latest gambling bill.

House Bill 910 (HB 910) is the bill in question. It is being spearheaded by Representative Matt Hatchett, who also championed last year’s failed effort. Among the biggest takeaways from his proposal is the method by which sports betting in Georgia would be legalized.

Contrary to previous attempts, HB 910 does not require a constitutional amendment. Traveling down this path means two things above all else. First, the bar for HB 910 making it out of the House and Senate is slightly lower. Second, and of equal importance, the measure does not have to appear on an electoral ballot. This is to say, voters would not have to approve the launch of sports betting in Georgia.

Although this pathway has worked for other states, it hasn’t proved popular among policymakers in The Peach State. Many believe that voters deserve a say on whether sports betting gets legalized. Others, meanwhile, insist that the introduction of Georgia online sports betting should require a higher standard of approval among lawmakers if it’s going to launch.

Whether any of these sentiments have changed remains to be seen. The 2026 Georgia state legislature started convening in the first half of January. Little about HB 910 has trickled out in the weeks since.

Granted, there is time for that to change. The state legislature is not set to adjourn until April 2. However, the method by which Georgia sports betting gets legalized isn’t all that’s up for debate. Other contents of HB 910 are raising eyebrows, too.

The Latest Georgia Sports Betting Bill Would Allow for Up to 18 Sportsbooks

As part of Representative Hatchett’s proposal, Georgia would license up to 18 sportsbooks if sports betting is approved. The Georgia Lottery, which would oversee the industry if HB 910 is successful, would receive its own license.

From there, seven sportsbooks licenses would be doled out following an application process. After that, as iGaming’s Pat Evans, the following 10 Georgia sports betting licenses would go to the following entities:

MLB’s Atlanta Braves
WNBA’s Atlanta Dream
NFL’s Atlanta Falcons
NBA’s Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Motor Speedway
MLS’s Atlanta United FC
Augusta National Golf Course
PGA Tour
Two for National Steeplechase Association entities

The early indications suggest that the number of public licenses will be the sticking point. Sports teams and leagues have by and large always featured in Georgia’s hypothetical gambling plans. But many policymakers are split on whether they should ride the wave of online sports betting in the United States by expanding the licensing footprint to include corporate sites.

Opponents argue the so-called mainstream sportsbooks don’t add enough to the local economy. And they have a point. Places like DraftKings and FanDuel will buoy Georgia’s tax revenue. They are not, however, going to create a ton of jobs or use much of their own annual revenue to reinvest in the market.

There is Another Important Detail of HB 910 Drawing Attention

Another hurdle HB 910 must clear: the proposed fees assessed to Georgia online sportsbooks.

This concern stems from the argument we addressed above. If sports betting sites in Georgia aren’t actually reinvesting in the local economy, voices in the House and Senate want their tax rate to reflect as much.

HB 910 pushes the envelope on this front. If it gets the green light, Georgia sports betting operators will be taxed at a 25 percent rate. This falls smack dab in the middle of the national average. It is higher than North Carolina sports betting (18 percent). It’s also lower than Pennsylvania sports betting (36 percent). However, HB 910’s proposed rate is higher than we have seen from other previous proposals.

Not only that, but the bill also calls for an annual sportsbook licensing fee of $1.5 million. That is quite the high bar. Certain states have annual fees in the six-figure range, while others assess a larger fee across a longer period of time.

The thinking here is that this tax rate, when coupled with the annual fee, provides enough of a financial incentive to permit online sportsbooks to operate in Georgia. Yet, while the idea itself makes sense, it has not necessarily changed the tenor of discussion.

Georgia Sports Betting Legalization is Still Considered a Long Shot

Despite the steps taken to expand the Georgia sports betting proposal, “industry sources are ‘mostly sour’” on the potential for legalization this year, per Evans. The absence of an endorsement from a House Study Committee last year is often cited as the primary reason why. We respectfully disagree.

Indeed, the committee's thoughts matter. Neutrality doesn’t exactly bode well for legalization efforts. It isn’t a death knell, either. Plus, a Senate Study Committee on tourism in Georgia last year actually endorsed sports betting legalization. We are not saying that’ll help. It’s just tough to believe that a lack of House Committee stance does a ton of damage.

Really, Georgia sports betting efforts seem likely to stall for one reason: Too many people believe legalization should require a constitutional amendment. That was the case last year. And the year before. If the same holds true in 2026, we should all expect the streak of failed Georgia sports betting legalization attempts to continue.

Take a look at this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can find one that works for all of your sports betting needs: