HR450: HR450 General Assembly; authorize sports betting in Georgia; provide by law - CA

Georgia's constitution currently bans nearly all forms of sports betting, pari-mutuel betting, and casino gambling. This resolution proposes a constitutional amendment that would let the General Assembly pass laws authorizing and regulating sports betting in the state. Money raised from taxing sports betting would go into a new 'Georgia Sports Betting Proceeds Trust Fund.' Fifteen percent of the first $150 million collected each year would fund programs addressing gambling addiction, while the rest would go toward voluntary pre-kindergarten and other education programs, including HOPE-style scholarships. The Georgia Lottery Corporation could also be authorized to take part in sports betting activities. Because this is a constitutional amendment, it cannot take effect on its own: voters must ratify it in a statewide referendum before it becomes part of the Georgia Constitution.

• Proposes a Georgia constitutional amendment allowing the General Assembly to pass laws legalizing and regulating sports betting, which is currently banned.
• Creates a 'Georgia Sports Betting Proceeds Trust Fund' to hold tax revenue collected from sports betting activities.
• Directs 15% of the first $150 million in trust fund proceeds each year to gambling addiction prevention and treatment programs.
• Directs 85% of the first $150 million and all proceeds above $150 million to pre-kindergarten and other education programs, including scholarships and technology training funding.
• Allows the Georgia Lottery Corporation to be authorized by law to participate in sports betting activities.
• Sends the proposed amendment to voters for ratification or rejection in a statewide referendum.

Georgia voters, who would decide the amendment's fate at the ballot box; the Georgia Lottery Corporation, which could enter the sports betting business; people affected by gambling addiction, who would gain access to funded prevention and treatment programs; and pre-kindergarten students and college scholarship recipients, who could see new funding sources.

If ratified, sports betting would become legal in Georgia for the first time, creating a new tax revenue stream. Bettors would gain a legal way to wager on sports, addiction programs would receive dedicated funding, and pre-kindergarten and scholarship programs could see additional money beyond current lottery proceeds.

• Section 1 revises Article I, Section II, Paragraph VIII of the Georgia Constitution to remove the blanket ban on sports betting and let the General Assembly regulate it by general law.
• New subparagraph (d) creates the 'Georgia Sports Betting Proceeds Trust Fund' funded by taxes on sports betting activities.
• New subparagraph (e) allocates trust fund proceeds: 15% of the first $150 million yearly to gambling addiction programs, and 85% of that amount plus all proceeds above $150 million to pre-kindergarten and other education purposes listed in subparagraph (c).
• New subparagraph (e)(2) exempts these appropriations from constitutional rules that would otherwise cause unspent funds to lapse.
• New subparagraph (f) allows the Georgia Lottery Corporation to be authorized to participate in sports betting, with its proceeds directed to education funding and any tax proceeds directed to the trust fund.
• Section 2 sets the ballot language asking voters whether to authorize sports betting to fund pre-kindergarten and HOPE scholarships, requiring statewide ratification before the amendment takes effect.

1. 2026-03-06House Third Reading Lost (House)
2. 2026-03-06House Third Readers (House)
3. 2026-03-06House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
4. 2025-04-04House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
5. 2025-03-06House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
6. 2025-03-04House Second Readers (House)
7. 2025-03-03House First Readers (House)
8. 2025-02-28House Hopper (House)

• Marcus Wiedower (R, HD-121)Primary sponsor
• Charles Martin (R, HD-049)
• Al Williams (D, HD-168)
• Noel Williams (R, HD-148)
• Carolyn Hugley (D, HD-141)
• Matt Dubnik (R, HD-029)

1. FailedHouse voteMarch 6, 2026

   63 yea, 98 nay (2 not voting, 14 absent)

   Adopt: House Vote #686

• sports betting
• gambling regulation
• constitutional amendment
• pre-kindergarten funding
• HOPE scholarship