The Georgia Senate passed Senate Resolution 579 on Tuesday before this week's crossover deadline, a positive step forward for sports betting legalization proponents. SR 579 and its enabling legislation, Senate Bill 386, could bring legal online sports betting to Georgia should it pass through the House and receive approval from the state's voters in November.
“This is to give the voters an opportunity to speak on the issue,” Sen. Bill Cowsert said.
The bill could bring up to 16 sports betting apps to Georgia, and professional sports franchises and venues — including the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta FC, Atlanta Dream, Augusta National, the PGA Tour, and Atlanta Motor Speedway — could apply for online sports betting operator licenses. The Georgia Lottery could apply as well, and there would be an additional seven standalone operator licenses awarded via an open application process.
Operators would pay a 20% tax on adjusted gross income and a $100,000 application fee, as well as an annual renewal fee of $1 million. The majority of tax revenue — 80% — would benefit Georgia's educational system, while 15% would be earmarked for problem and responsible gambling measures. The final 5% of tax revenue would go toward attracting major sporting events to Georgia.