Georgia Has Taken a Positive Step in Trying to Legalize Sports Betting

While things still haven’t been able to get across the line for the Georgia sports betting project, it’s clear that efforts are being made to try and get things done. Georgia is one of the double-digit states in the USA that hasn’t been able to get things approved, but it’s clear that some positive updates could be coming soon. That’s because Georgia has taken a positive step in trying to legalize sports betting. This happened last week and people are quite excited.

According to a report, a Georgia sports betting bill was able to pass through the Senate and things are now headed to the Georgia House. This is massive news – if this particular bill can get approved in the House, then we very well could see things on the ballot next fall. The expectation is that if things indeed make their way to the ballot, then local citizens will push things through. However, it’s up in the air if that happens or not.

People in Georgia have been begging for sports betting to be legalized for a while, but nothing but negative updates have come in. However, with pro teams and college coaches open to the idea, we’ve seen more proponents come in to support the idea. For Georgia, there’s no question that football betting would be massive. At a pro level, the Atlanta Falcons would bring in plenty of NFL betting popularity.

The Falcons are a young team and the future is bright for them. They’re expected to add plenty of big-time pieces via the NFL Draft too. With the Super Bowl arriving this weekend, people in Georgia, especially Atlanta, would love the chance to place wagers on the big game, but that’s not an option this year. Come next year, though, the hope is that the laws will be changed and that in-person and online betting will be allowed.

There are still obstacles in the way of Georgia sports betting

As excited as people are right now, it’s important to remember that there are still obstacles in the way of Georgia sports betting to get done. It’s important to note that as things stand, despite things making their way to the Georgia House, a constitutional amendment is needed in order for things to progress. This is not a simple change, which makes it seem like things aren’t as optimistic as people might have once guessed.

Per a different report, lawmakers think that the constitutional amendment may prove to be too difficult to overcome, which could lead to another delay in the sports betting project getting done. If this is the case, then we might have to wait until either 2026 or 2027 to see if something happens. This would be the worst-case scenario for the state as officials know they’re losing out on a ton of money from a revenue standpoint.

As big as the NFL would be in the state, there’s no question that NCAAF betting would be king. The Georgia Bulldogs are continuously one of the best college programs in the country and they’ve won the National Championship Game two of the last three seasons. UGA wasn’t able to get the job done this year, which came as a huge surprise. Instead, it was the Michigan Wolverines who won the natty.

Come next season, the Bulldogs are hoping to get back to the College Football Playoff, but the major concern is whether or not alumni and fans will be able to bet on the team or not. If things somehow get done, there’s no doubt in our minds that things will be through the roof. Only time will tell if this happens or not, but this issue with the amendment could prove to be too much for the state to overcome. We can only hope that doesn’t prove to be the case.

Georgia fans are also hopeful MLB betting will arrive

While there’s a ton of uncertainty in terms of this project, don’t forget that Georgia fans are also hopeful MLB betting will arrive in the near future. This isn’t a shock at all, as the Atlanta Braves are one of the best teams in the National League. You could also make the argument that with their hitting and tremendous pitching staff, they are one of the most exciting teams in all of Major League Baseball as well. This past season, Atlanta fell short of winning it all, which was a bummer.

However, this club already holds strong MLB betting odds to win the World Series next fall. The hope and dream for baseball fans in the state is that a bill will be approved so people will be able to bet on the Braves before this next season comes to a close. A lot needs to happen for that to get done. It will be interesting to see if positive updates come in on this new betting bill, but there’s a lot of uncertainty on whether history will be made or not. If it does, then MLB betting will 100 percent take off.

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Peter Lewis

Peter Lewis Jr. comes from Mississippi where he and his family spend their days discussing college football, baseball and basketball. He's written sports journalism for years after studying journalism at a local university. Over time, Peter has cultivated extensive knowledge covering sports betting legislation across the country. He closely tracks the latest regulatory developments and provides key insights into their impacts. Peter also offers sharp MLB betting analysis, leveraging stats and trends to identify value on matchups.