Georgia House Panel Passes Mobile Sports Gambling Bill

There is some noise being made down in Georgia, and after a hectic few months at the front of the election scene, they are gaining attention from the sports betting industry. On February 2nd, Georgia passed a mobile sports gambling bill through the Georgia House committee. Atlanta has a major sports scene with the Falcons, Braves, and Hawks. As many states battle financial problems, they turn to sports betting to bring in money to the state. The economic impacts of Covid-19 have also begun to force states to take quicker action on getting legal sports betting in place.

Key Points In The Bill

Republican Representative Ron Stevens is the bill’s primary sponsor and is also the chairman of the House Economic Development and Tourism committee. Stevens has been in favor of sports gambling to help with Georgia’s budget, citing New Jersey making over $300 million at the end of 2020. There are proposals such as vendors under the bill that pay $50,000 in application fees and an annual licensing fee of $900,000. Companies have a 14% tax on their gross income, where that tax would go to educational programs. The HOPE Scholarship is named as the big program where tax revenue would go.

One of the major notes of this bill is that you will not bet on college sports. The NCAA and sports betting industry have had a rocky relationship, and lawmakers are always keen on just avoiding the two if possible. Georgia is in the heart of SEC country with the Georgia Bulldogs and has multiple college teams. They will look to be one of the few states to have strict regulations in place for the public to not wager on college sports.

How This Helps Professional Teams

Despite not receiving any revenue share from the sportsbook operators, local Atlanta teams have been in favor of legal sports betting. With many turning to illegal sports gambling in areas of the country where it is not already legal, teams have wondered why the state doesn’t take advantage of the opportunity. Atlanta teams have seen up and down interest, although the Falcons and Atlanta United have fared well in fan interest over the years, where the Hawks and Braves have seen modest attendance records at best. The local teams have worked with lawmakers to help push this bill and have the groundwork for responsible sports betting.

What Happens Next?

While some pushback by members of government, the bill passed through the committee 19-6 and will now move onto the house floor. 22 states have now legalized sports gambling in one way or another, and mobile and online betting is the major draw these days. There is an excellent chance the bill is passed through the house, looking to take quick action to further the state’s revenue. If the bill is signed into law during this upcoming session, we would likely see sports betting start over the summer. This is looking to be a busy year already for the sports betting world, and Georgia would be a major market to add to a growing list of states who have legalized.