The latest pieces of Georgia sports betting legislation being considered in the House of Representatives are still alive, but face a Thursday “crossover” deadline to reach the Senate before the session ends.

House Bill 686 and House Resolution 450 would create the basis for a constitutional amendment to be on the 2026 ballot, but they need to be approved by the House and crossover to the Senate by Thursday in order for that to become a reality.

Both bills were approved by the House of Representatives Committee on Higher Education on Wednesday and will now be debated by the Senate on Thursday.

Sports betting is legal in 38 states, plus Washington, D.C., but has continually failed to muster enough support in Georgia. The Peach State is the largest state in the U.S. without legal sports betting.

Georgia sports betting: The longest of long shots

The odds of Georgia sports betting legislation gaining approval this session aren’t great, however. The Senate’s Committee on Regulated Industries and Utilities killed a Senate Resolution 131 in late February.

The quick turnaround makes things even more difficult. If the bill passes through the House, the Senate will only have about a month to debate it and make amendments before the 2025 session adjourns on April 4.

The legislation requires two-thirds approval from the Senate. If a simply majority votes ‘yes’ to a constitutional amendment, Georgia sports betting would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026 and launch “no later than July 31, 2027.”

Latest Georgia sports betting effort

The issue of legalizing Georgia sports betting isn’t a new one for Alabama’s neighboring state. The state has been trying since 2020, two years after the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA).

The debate over the need for a constitutional amendment has long been the crux of failed Georgia sports betting legislation. Lawmakers infamously tried to ram through a 2023 bill that lacked an amendment by gutting existing soap box derby legislation.

This time, the effort includes a constitutional amendment, which is presented in House Resolution 450. If approved, Georgia voters will be asked the following question on the 2026 ballot:

“Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to authorize sports betting in this state to provide additional funding for pre-kindergarten and HOPE scholarships?”

House Bill 686, the “Georgia Sports Betting Act” presented by Representative Marcus Wiedower, will allow for up to 16 online sports betting licenses.

Operators will be taxed at a rate of 24% (amended Wednesday by the Committee on Higher Education from the initial 20%). The legal age for betting would be 21. College prop betting will be banned under this bill.

The Georgia Lottery Corp. would regulate sports betting and also have the ability to take wagers. The tax money would go to fund Georgia Lottery HOPE Scholarships, pre-kindergarten programs, healthcare and poverty reduction programs, as well as to provide provisions for problem gambling.

Georgia pro sports teams could get licenses

Five of the online sports betting licenses are slotted for professional teams, one will go to the PGA Tour, one for Augusta National Golf Club, one for Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Georgia doesn’t have brick-and-motor casinos, which means the other seven licenses will be “untethered.” Those licenses will be awarded through a public bidding process.

Georgia sports betting tax revenue

House Bill 686 states that operators will need to pay a non-refundable application fee of $100,000 and a $1 million annual licensing fee.

House Resolution 450 notes that 85% of the first $150 million of such proceeds in the first fiscal year and “all such proceeds in excess of $150 million” will go toward pre-kindergarten and “other educational programs.”

The other 15% of the first $150 million will go to programs and services that “seek to prevent individuals from experiencing, and provide assistance to individuals who experience, addiction or other problems relating to betting or gambling.”