Chris Boline
So many people continue to wonder when Georgia sports betting will be put on the menu for people to take advantage of. Thus far, we have seen several bills try and get passed through legislation, but nothing has worked. The efforts continue, though, and a Georgia politician wants to see sports betting get done soon. Will this end up coming to fruition later this year or by some point in early 2024?
Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones knows how important sports betting could be for the state, and he hasn’t minced words in expressing how great he thinks it would be for people in the Peach State. The estimated revenue for betting in Georgia is through the roof, and the money could be used for so many resources out there. This is why Jones, and many others, are hopeful for change in the future.
“I’ve been consistent about the positive return and revenues that safe, secure, and legal sports betting could generate for our state—so I will continue to support that effort. I look forward to seeing what legislative initiatives the Georgia General Assembly proposes to address this issue during the upcoming session,” Jones said in a statement to Atlanta News First when discussing the possibilities of sports betting.
What Jones is frustrated about, along with several of his colleagues, is that people in Georgia are using offshore sites and accounts to place their bets on their favorite sports teams. This is something that needs to change and there’s optimism that later on in the year, things can really get going when it comes to the legalization of things. With people like Jones pushing forward, it’s only going to help.
Georgia sports betting in the last 24 hours:
– A former state Supreme Court justice writes sports betting could become a subset of the Lottery; that would not require a voter referendum
– Gov. Brian Kemp announces plans to expand the HOPE Scholarship (funded by the Loto)🧐🤔
— Ryan Butler (@ButlerBets) January 18, 2023
The Sports Betting Alliance is ready for change to arrive in Georgia
Another positive for the Peach State is that the Sports Betting Alliance is ready for change to arrive in Georgia sooner than later. The SPA has been hard at work trying to bring in sports betting in place across the United States who haven’t been able to get things done. States like Florida, California and Texas are high on the list, but the alliance most definitely has not forgotten about Georgia here.
“We look forward to working with the legislature to establish a safe and responsible online sports betting market in Georgia,” The SBA said via WTOC in Georgia. “In over half the country, legal online sports betting platforms are providing fans with a safe and responsible way to place bets — all while generating significant revenue for state and local priorities. Currently, Georgians can only place bets with illegal offshore sports betting websites.”
Just like Jones, the SBA is worried about the illegal betting that continues to take place in Georgia. With the Atlanta Falcons having such a huge following, this leads to NFL betting odds being checked by fans consistently, and then placing bets on the NFC South side. There’s a big year expected from the Falcons next fall, as they weren’t able to make the postseason this time around.
However, with so much young talent, this team feels like it’s headed in the right direction. With that said, people are hopeful that legal sports betting will be on the horizon at some point in 2023, ahead of the NFL season getting started too. However, no one knows what will end up happening. We could very well end up seeing betting not come until 2024, but it really does feel like big news will be coming for sports betting in Georgia.
Top Ten Plays of 2022 for y'all! pic.twitter.com/DAgTdvUuWq
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) January 19, 2023
Georgia’s football market as a whole is massive
When sports betting does arrive, the lawmakers and officials are surely going to keep in mind that Georgia’s football market as a whole is massive. While we discussed the Atlanta Falcons and the NFL above, don’t forget that the Georgia Bulldogs are the best college football team right now and fans are going to love the moment they’re able to check the NCAAF betting odds and then place wagers on UGA.
Kirby Smart has the Bulldogs playing at an unreal level, as they’ve won the National Championship Game in back-to-back seasons. That’s no easy accomplishment and Georgia has no question topped Alabama as the biggest powerhouse in the SEC. That’s got to be quite humbling for Alabama head coach Nick Saban, who has watched UGA win it all two years in a row. This rivalry is something special and millions of people across the globe are always watching it.
Imagine a world where people in Georgia would be able to bet on the huge rivalry game between the Bulldogs and Crimson Tide. Countless bets across the state would be recorded, which is what so many people out there want to see. Between the college game and the NFL, there’s no question or doubts that football betting would flourish in the state. As soon as August arrives for training camp, things would really start to take off. We’ll see if this happens next fall or not for everyone in Georgia.
