How Much Is Georgia Betting Leaving On The Table?

Once again, there will be no sports betting in Georgia — not legally, at least. Recent developments in state politics signal another failed legislative year at getting something passed, a story that’s all too familiar with local bettors.

We’ll tell you what went wrong, but more than that, we want to provide a picture of just how much money the state of Georgia is missing out by not having a legalized sports betting market? This is no small miss, and honestly, has us scratching our heads why this hasn’t gotten done yet.

How Much Is A Legal Sports Betting Market Worth In Georgia?

This is the billion-dollar question, ain’t it? And yes, that’s billions with a b. There are all sorts of estimates out there, but we’re really liking what GeoComply is guessing. Here is a company that provides real-time tracking for the top sports betting apps — ensuring bettors are really located where they say they are.

This includes Georgia despite it not having an actual market. GeoComply still has data on bettors attempting to bet on state before being turned down by apps. In Georgia, that still means hundreds of thousands of attempted check-ins to betting apps. And that’s how they guessed this legal market is worth a whopping $112.9 million in tax revenue per year.

How did GeoComply end up at that number, you ask? Well, it’s not a Year 1 estimate. GeoComply thinks that would be a Year 3 total once the market matures a tad and betting apps spend hundreds of millions to lure users to gamble.

There’s also a guess on the tax rate. GeoComply built its forecast on a 15 percent tax — which is actually on the low side. Georgia is a heavyweight sports state, and it has the leverage to demand more. It may not reach New York’s aggressive 51 percent rate or Illinois’ 40 percent (for top platforms), but something in the 20s is more than realistic.

That means the projections might be underestimating revenue. Big time. If Georgia set a modest 20 percent tax rate instead, we’re potentially talking $140 to $150 million in yearly revenue. That would make it one of the biggest sports betting markets around.

Other states primary funnel those tax dollars into state education funds. Georgia could do the same, but it’s certainly not entitled. There are other public works that could benefit from the nine-figure total.

2025 Attempts Broke Down Yet Again

We’ve alluded to it, but let’s backtrack and explain why 2025 turned out to be another dud for Georgia sports betting. Hopes were high when House Rep. Marcus Wiedower rolled out a full sports betting package — dubbed House Resolution 450. His proposal included both a constitutional amendment and a full regulatory framework to launch legal sports wagering across the Peach State.

The proposal started off strong too. The resolution passed through a committee, which gave it a real shot at making the full House floor. But that’s where the momentum died. Completely. The House adjourned in early March, and with it, HR 450 was officially done for the year — and so was legal sports betting as a whole. Any more attempts at legalizing will have to come during the 2026 legislative session.

So what gives? Why didn’t the House even vote? It all comes down to a long-standing divide among lawmakers. One group believes that sports betting requires a constitutional amendment, while another insists it can be legalized under the existing Georgia Lottery setup. That split has created a messy landscape of overlapping bills that constantly undercut each other.

“Let the voters decide,” Wiedower previously said. “Let the voters decide. If they don’t want it, they don’t want it.”

Clearly, a lot of his colleagues didn’t share that view — or just weren’t ready to take the political risk. And so, the session ended with no action. Speaking of political risk, that leads us to another issue…

2026 Chances Aren’t All That High Either

Before you say, “there’s always next year”, think about this. 2026 is a midterm election year, and that alone is enough to make most politicians slam the brakes on big policy changes. The last thing many lawmakers want to do during campaign season is take a public stance on something as divisive as gambling. It’s a risk with little political upside, especially in more conservative districts like Georgia.

But it’s not just about the calendar. Georgia’s track record on this issue is flat-out bad. Lawmakers have introduced sports betting bills in six consecutive sessions, and every single time, they’ve managed to fumble it. Sometimes it’s over tax rates, other times it’s a fight over whether a constitutional amendment is needed. But the outcome is always the same — nothing gets done.

So sure, 2026 is technically still on the table, especially if there’s a push to get a constitutional amendment in front of voters that November. But given the politics, the history, and the risk-averse nature of most state lawmakers, it’s hard to imagine sports betting gaining real traction until at least 2027. Yikes!