A Senate Resolution has been proposed in the State of Georgia to move forward with the legalization of sports betting and casino gaming.
SR 131, sponsored by Senators Carden Summers, Brandon Beach, Lee Anderson, and Billy Hickman, looks to authorize the Georgia General Assembly to “provide by law for the operation and regulation of sports betting and casino gambling activities.”
The resolution would also regulate and tax wider gambling in the State of Georgia and determine the revenue allocation derived from gambling activities.
Georgia’s General Assembly would be responsible for creating a gaming commission and granting it appropriate powers to regulate and tax casino gambling and sports wagering.
Casino Gambling But No Online Betting
Online gambling is not something on the table in the Peach State. The third section of the resolution reads that all casino gambling activities “shall take place at a casino facility owned and operated by an individual or entity that has been issued a casino gaming license in this state, as no-off site casino gambling activities shall be permitted or authorized in this state.”
It also stipulates that the commission would issue a minimum of eight casino gaming licenses, with certain caveats. The conditions that must be met are that each licensee will be authorized to operate a single facility in the state, and no individual or entity shall be issued with more than one gaming license. It also adds that “no individual entity shall own an interest in more than one entity that has been issued a casino gaming license in this state.”
Although a specific number of licensees for casino gaming is outlined in the proposed resolution, there is no such number for sports wagering. However, taxation of sports betting and casino gambling activities would be the same. This would be set at 20 percent of the gross income of such activities, less any operating expenses permitted as deductible, amounts paid out as winnings, and “amounts permitted by law to be held in reserve.”
SR 131 would create the Georgia Gaming Proceeds Fund, which would then be responsible for distributing funds. Before-tax revenues are given to the fund for distribution, tax revenue generated will cover operating expenses relating to the gaming commission and any operating costs related to regulating legalized gambling activities.
Where Will the Tax Revenue Go?
The first $2 billion of proceeds from tax revenue will be evenly appropriated by the Georgia General Assembly to the governing authorities of each of the 159 counties in the State.
The next $500 million of additional proceeds (each fiscal year) shall be evenly appropriated to each county until at least $5 billion has been appropriated. From then on, five percent of additional proceeds will be invested in programs and services that seek to “prevent individuals from experiencing, and provide assistance to individuals who experience, addiction or other problems relating to betting and gambling.”
Next, the resolution must pass the Senate by 6 March 2025 to meet the Peach State’s deadline for crossover. It will then need to garner two-thirds support in both chambers by 4 April, triggering a statewide vote in November 2026. Should it then be approved by voters, sports wagering and casino gambling could be legalized and operational by 2027.
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