Most industry experts don't feel great about the imminent chances of Georgia sports betting. And quite frankly, we can't blame them.
The tenor of this discussion would be drastically different if Democrat nominee Stacey Abrams had won her bid to be the state's governor in November. But while she bagged a larger share of votes than expected, she ultimately lost. And the re-election of Georgia governor Brian Kemp isn't good for sports betting. He has been a devout critic of the practice since taking office and hasn't once backed off his stance in a meaningful way. With his next term about to get underway, it could theoretically be years before Georgia sports betting has the support of the state's governor—a half-decade or more, in fact.
At the same time, it's important to remember that no one person can ruin or bury sports betting bills on their own. Governor Kemp has plenty of power and influence, but he cannot single-handedly bend the Georgia House of Representatives and Senate to his will. The state can pass a sports betting initiative without his support.
For the most part, though, this just didn't seem like a possibility. Along with a handful of other officials, Abrams was among the few really banging the sports betting bell. It has not been a major priority among lawmakers, even though it has the potential to be one of the larger betting markets. That indifference wasn't expected to change without serious upheaval in the governor's office.
And yet, according to multiple news outlets inside Georgia, the state legislature has officially added sports betting to the agenda for their next round of meetings. Could this mean sports betting in Georgia is well on its way to what feels like overdue legalization?
Georgia Sports Betting is Among Most Prominent Discussion Points for State Legislature Meetings in 2023
Unlike some other states, Georgia holds legislature meetings on an annual basis. The next batch will take place in January 2023, after the New Year, and run until sometime in March. The list of topics officials are tasked with covering is especially large this time around and is expected to be headlined by public health and safety policies.
Georgia sports betting has been added to that extensive to-do list. This could be seen as a poor omen. Does the Georgia legislature really have the time required to give this topic thorough consideration? Or was this discussion scheduled purely as an add-on and formality?
It is fair to interpret the latest news as the latter. Especially when you consider how many times Georgia has punted on the opportunity to legalize sports betting. Then again, the state added sports betting to the agenda after it was already packed to the brim with other items. Would Georgia lawmakers really complicate their lives even further if they weren't serious about contemplating its future?
Figuring this out is a matter of course. We won't know anything concrete until sometime in January at the absolute earliest. More likely, though, the sports betting debate is likely to drag on. If Georgia makes any wholesale announcements on the matter before March, you can color us every shade of surprised in existence.
In the end, everything will boil down to whether there's enough momentum to legalize Georgia sports betting. And that will require a wave of support from the Democrats. They may have lost the bid for governor, but they have turned over some of the other seats inside the House of Representatives. Might this play a role in getting a sports betting bill through to the Senate?
Support for Sports Betting Inside Georgia State Legislature Appears Split
A majority of Democrats throughout the Georgia House of Representatives and Senate are reportedly more than open to the legalization of sports betting. This support has apparently swelled to a new high thanks to a number of new faces in the House who subscribe to Stacey Abrams' line of thinking.
That line of thinking? Sports betting throughout Georgia is already happening, and it's taking place in a variety of ways. Some Georgians have no doubt visiting neighboring states with legal sports betting. Many others are no doubt using offshore sites to submit wagers. This, in particular, has become intensely popular in states without legal sports betting. As you can tell from our reviews of the top online sportsbooks, there is no shortage of reputable sites that allow almost anyone in the United States to create an account.
On top of all that, select Georgians are placing bets with illegal bookies. The legalization of sports betting would help stop that while earning the state extra money. People are much less likely to use unlicensed bookies when they have fully licensed one at their disposal.
Here's the big question: Has this line of thinking gained traction among Republicans?
Bi-Partisan Response will Determine Future of Georgia Sports Betting
Everything in Georgia seems to hinge on the response from Republicans during the 2023 legislature meetings. And while many of the House members tend to align with Governor Brian Kemp, more and more are at least semi-open to the idea of legal sports betting.
This is a shift we're seeing throughout the United States. Places like Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, among a handful of others, are seeing younger Republicans take office. And while these officials still skew heavily conservative, they also lean more toward free-market support when it comes to matters of sports betting and even marijuana use.
This is great news for the Peach State. It means that legal Georgia sports betting has an actual chance in 2023. It isn't guaranteed. And it will take a year or more to actually approve and roll out. But contrary to previous belief, hope is far from lost.
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