---
title: HB 1373. Gambling; criminal prohibitions on gambling for coin operated amusement machines; revise certain exceptions
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1373
cite_as: HB 1373, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1373
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1373.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1373/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73362
date: 2026-02-20
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1372.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1374.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1373.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1373
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-02-18
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
- Jordan Ridley
- Jason Ridley
- Mitchell Horner
- Demetrius Douglas
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1373/2025
upstream_id: 2119499
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- gambling law
- coin operated machines
- video poker
- gaming regulation
---
# HB 1373. Gambling; criminal prohibitions on gambling for coin operated amusement machines; revise certain exceptions
## Text
House Bill 1373
By: Representatives Ridley of the 22nd, Ridley of the 6th, Horner of the 3rd, and Douglas of
the 78th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Part 1 of Article 2 of Chapter 12 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to gambling, so as to revise certain exceptions from the criminal
prohibitions on gambling for coin operated amusement machines; to expand such exceptions
to coin operated amusement machines that may be operated for the play of poker, blackjack,
any other card game, or keno; to provide for conforming changes; to provide for related
matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Part 1 of Article 2 of Chapter 12 of Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to gambling, is amended in Code Section 16-12-20, relating to definitions regarding
gambling, by revising paragraph (2) as follows:
"(2) 'Gambling device' means:
(A) Any contrivance which for a consideration affords the player an opportunity to
obtain money or other thing of value, the award of which is determined by chance even
though accompanied by some skill, whether or not the prize is automatically paid by
contrivance;
(B) Any slot machine or any simulation or variation thereof; or
(C) Any matchup or lineup game machine or device, operated for any consideration,
in which two or more numerals, symbols, letters, or icons align in a winning
combination on one or more lines vertically, horizontally, diagonally, or otherwise,
without assistance by the player. Use of skill stops shall not be considered assistance
by the player; or
(D) Any video game machine or device, operated for any consideration, for the play
of poker, blackjack, any other card game, or keno or any simulation or variation of any
of the foregoing, including, but not limited to, any game in which numerals, numbers,
or any pictures, representations, or symbols are used as an equivalent or substitute for
cards in the conduct of such game.
Any item described in subparagraph (B), or (C), or (D) of this paragraph shall be a
prohibited gambling device subject to and prohibited by this part, notwithstanding any
inference to the contrary in any other law of this state."
SECTION 2.
Said part is further amended in Code Section 16-12-35, relating to applicability of part and
penalty for violation, by revising subsection (b) and paragraph (1) of subsection (d) as
follows:
"(b) Nothing in this part shall apply to a coin operated game or device designed and
manufactured for bona fide amusement purposes only which may by application of some
skill entitle the player to earn replays of the game or device at no additional cost and to
discharge the accumulated free replays only by reactivating the game or device for each
accumulated free replay or by reactivating the game or device for a portion or all of the
accumulated free plays in a single play. This subsection shall not apply, however, to any
game or device classified by the United States government as requiring a federal gaming
tax stamp under applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code or any item described
as a gambling device in subparagraph (B), or (C), or (D) of paragraph (2) of Code
Section 16-12-20."
"(d)(1) Nothing in this part shall apply to a coin operated game or device designed and
manufactured only for bona fide amusement purposes which involves some skill in its
operation if it rewards the player exclusively with:
(A) Free replays;
(B) Merchandise limited to noncash merchandise, prizes, toys, gift certificates, or
novelties, each of which has a wholesale value of not more than $5.00 received for a
single play of the game or device;
(C) Points, tokens, vouchers, tickets, or other evidence of winnings which may be
exchanged for rewards set out in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph or
subparagraph (B) of this paragraph or a combination of rewards set out in
subparagraph (A) and subparagraph (B) of this paragraph; or
(D) Any combination of rewards set out in two or more of subparagraph (A), (B),
or (C) of this paragraph.
This subsection shall not apply, however, to any game or device classified by the United
States government as requiring a federal gaming stamp under applicable provisions of the
Internal Revenue Code or any item described as a gambling device in subparagraph (B),
or (C), or (D) of paragraph (2) of Code Section 16-12-20."
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
A Georgia House bill would remove coin operated video poker, blackjack, and keno machines from the legal definition of a prohibited gambling device, potentially letting them qualify as legal amusement machines.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia law currently defines several types of gambling devices as illegal, including coin operated video game machines built for playing poker, blackjack, other card games, or keno. This bill deletes that specific category, known as subparagraph (D), from the definition of a 'gambling device' in Georgia's gambling code (O.C.G.A. § 16-12-20).
Because the law's amusement machine exceptions (O.C.G.A. § 16-12-35) currently exclude any machine described in that deleted subparagraph (D), removing it means those poker, blackjack, card game, and keno machines are no longer automatically excluded from the legal amusement game exceptions. The bill also makes matching conforming edits to the definitions section and the applicability section so the cross references still line up after subparagraph (D) is removed. The bill repeals any conflicting laws but does not list a special effective date, so it would take effect under Georgia's standard rules once signed.
### What it does
- Deletes subparagraph (D) from the definition of 'gambling device' in O.C.G.A. § 16-12-20, which currently covers coin operated video machines for poker, blackjack, other card games, or keno.
- Removes references to that deleted subparagraph (D) from the amusement machine exceptions in O.C.G.A. § 16-12-35(b), which lists devices excluded from the amusement game exemption.
- Removes the same subparagraph (D) reference from O.C.G.A. § 16-12-35(d)(1), which covers machines that reward players only with free replays, low value merchandise, or exchangeable tokens.
- Repeals any other Georgia laws that conflict with these changes.
### Who it affects
Coin operated amusement machine manufacturers and operators, bars, convenience stores, and other businesses that host these machines, and state and local law enforcement or regulators who currently classify certain poker, blackjack, card, and keno machines as illegal gambling devices.
### Why it matters
By removing this category of machines from the definition of illegal gambling devices, the bill could open the door for coin operated poker, blackjack, card game, or keno machines to be treated as legal amusement games in Georgia, changing what businesses can legally offer and what law enforcement can prosecute as illegal gambling.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 revises the definition of 'gambling device' in O.C.G.A. § 16-12-20 by deleting subparagraph (D), which had covered video game machines for poker, blackjack, other card games, or keno.
- Section 1 keeps subparagraphs (B) and (C), covering slot machines and matchup or lineup games, as prohibited gambling devices.
- Section 2 updates O.C.G.A. § 16-12-35(b) so the amusement game exception no longer excludes machines described in the deleted subparagraph (D).
- Section 2 makes the same conforming change to O.C.G.A. § 16-12-35(d)(1), which lists rewards, such as free replays or low value merchandise, that keep an amusement machine legal.
- Section 3 repeals any conflicting state laws.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2026-02-18)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-02-20)
- Sponsors: Jordan Ridley, Jason Ridley, Mitchell Horner, Demetrius Douglas
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73362
> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1373.md?full=1