The push to legalize sports betting in Georgia just got another important ally: Democratic governor candidate Stacey Abrams, who will be going up against incumbent Republican governor Brian Kemp on the 2022 November ballot.
Abrams offered her support of legal sports betting in The Peach State while unveiling the economic plan she intends to roll out if elected. Her proposal has so far been met with an open mind, if not outright endorsements, from the Democratic party and some Moderates. And really, this comes as no surprise.
Like every state, Georgia is dealing with the financial ramifications of inflation and fears of a looming, potentially already ongoing, economic recession. Local economies have not had the time to sufficiently recover from the havoc wreaked by the peak of the coronavirus pandemic and its shutdowns, and constituents across all parties are by and large frustrated with the additional financial pressures they're facing after already incurring more while in lockdown.
But will Abrams' plan be enough to swing the November 2022 vote in her favor among the majority of Georgia residents? And what would the timeline be for sports betting in Georgia if she takes office?
Let's find out.
Stacey Abrams Appears Dead Set on the Legalization of Sports Betting
As many know, politicians can flip on campaign promises and endorsements if elected. But the support Abrams offers for Georgia sports betting doesn't appear to be a mirage. She is dead set on getting it done. In fact, she essentially identified as low-hanging fruit while outlining her economic recovery plan.
“[Sports betting] will serve as a permanent source of revenue to underwrite broader access to education,” she said, according to Georgia Public Broadcasting. “We can afford it and we must do it. Studies projected the potential for billions to exist in economic impact funds that will not only finance our efforts to replenish and expand the Hope Scholarship, but it will also provide new economic opportunities for Georgia that can grow jobs and make our economy stronger for everyone.”
Opponents of legal sports betting have been quick to point out that online gaming operators as well as brick and mortar casinos—which Abrams also supports—have a track record of targeting underserved communities and minorities. Abrams is known to be an advocate for turning the table on those who target the less fortunate and oppressed, which has critics portraying her as a hypocrite.
That's just not true. Anyone of sound mind understands that refusing to legalize sports betting in Georgia won't actually stop it from taking place. Billions upon billions of dollars in illegal sports bets are placed throughout the United States every year. Residents of Georgia also have the option of traveling to one of many nearby states with legal sports betting, a list of neighbors that's soon expected to include North Carolina. On top of that, there are plenty of reputable websites that make our reviews of the best rated online sportsbooks willing to accept customers from every state, Georgia included.
This endorsement from Abrams, then, is not a smack in the face to the very constituents she claims to care about. It's an acknowledgement that Georgia is missing the opportunity to tax billions of dollars that's already being spent outside state lines.
What Would be the Timeline for Legal Sports Betting in Georgia?
Abrams did not outline a timeline for the implementation of her economic plan, mostly because there's red tape the state still needs to clear. As we've already discussed, it is incredibly hard to legalize sports betting in Georgia.
First and foremost, a sports betting amendment must be passed by two-thirds of the Georgia House and Senate. Then, after that, the bill must go to Georgia voters.
On the bright side, getting past the House and Senate may no longer be an issue if Stacey Abrams is elected into office. The Democratic party would have a stronger voice in the state and are generally more likely to approve these sports betting proposals.
However, with no sports betting measure scheduled to appear on the 2022 ballot, the soonest this issue could go to Georgia voters is 2024. And from there, the state would still need six months to a year, if not longer, to roll out the sports gambling infrastructure.
Will Stacey Abrams Win The Georgia Election?
Sports betting enthusiasts should want Stacey Abrams to win in November. The incumbent governor, Brian Kemp, has remained against publicly or aggressively supporting any sports wagering bills. If he's re-elected, Georgia may not realistically sniff legal betting before 2027.
Whether Abrams will actually win is a different story. The most recent polls show she trails Kemp by slightly over 4 percent, according to Georgia Public Broadcasting. That's not an insurmountable gap with more than two months to go, but it is significant.
Optimists are hopeful those numbers will continue shifting in Abrams' favor. Georgia helped swing the presidential race in 2020 by voting Democratic, something they hadn't done in some time. Though the United States' current rate of inflation works against the Democrats at the moment, many still expect Georgia to follow a similar sentiment during the 2022 primaries.
And if they do, while there's no guarantee sports betting will come to Georgia, the odds of it actually happening exponentially increase.
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