Georgia CommonsHB 686: Georgia Sports Betting Act; enact
Last action March 6, 2026 · House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
A House substitute would legalize and tax online sports betting in Georgia through the Georgia Lottery Corporation, but only if voters approve a constitutional amendment first.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Comm Sub version, the latest LegiScan holds.
In plain language
Georgia currently prohibits sports betting. This bill, the Georgia Sports Betting Act, would let the Georgia Lottery Corporation license and regulate online sports betting statewide through mobile apps. It creates a licensing system with up to 16 Type 1 licenses reserved mostly for Georgia professional sports teams and certain golf and auto racing venues, plus licenses for online betting platforms and equipment suppliers. The bill sets a 27.5 percent tax on operators' adjusted gross income from betting, sending proceeds to a new Georgia Sports Betting Proceeds Trust Fund that funds the same purposes as lottery money (mainly education programs). It bars minors and certain insiders like athletes, coaches, and team owners from betting, requires age and identity verification, sets penalties for illegal betting, and requires responsible-gambling safeguards. It also exempts sports betting wagers from being treated as illegal gambling and from sales tax. The law would take effect January 1, 2027, but only if Georgia voters ratify a constitutional amendment authorizing sports betting; otherwise it is automatically repealed.
What the bill does
- Authorizes the Georgia Lottery Corporation to license, regulate, and oversee online sports betting statewide through mobile apps, issuing up to 16 Type 1 licenses.
- Imposes a 27.5 percent privilege tax on operators' adjusted gross income from betting, with proceeds going to a new state trust fund used like lottery proceeds.
- Sets licensing fees ranging from $2,000 to $100,000 in application fees and up to $1 million in annual fees depending on license type.
- Bans minors, athletes, coaches, team owners, and other insiders from placing certain wagers, and sets escalating criminal fines and jail time for violations.
- Requires licensees to verify bettor age and identity, offer self-exclusion tools, and post problem-gambling helpline information.
- Makes the entire Act contingent on Georgia voters approving a constitutional amendment allowing sports betting, with automatic repeal if the amendment fails.
Who it affects
Georgia's professional sports teams and certain golf and racing venues, companies that want to operate online sportsbooks or supply betting technology, the Georgia Lottery Corporation, bettors aged 21 and older, athletes and sports league employees who would be barred from betting, and problem-gambling support organizations.
Why it matters
If voters approve the required constitutional amendment, Georgians could legally place sports bets online through licensed apps for the first time, generating new tax revenue for education-related programs while creating new criminal penalties for underage or unlicensed betting and new consumer protections for bettors.
Key provisions
- Section 2-1 adds Article 4 to Title 50, creating the Georgia Sports Betting Act and defining sports betting terms like 'bettor,' 'wager,' and 'official league data' (new Code Sections 50-27-120 to 50-27-197).
- O.C.G.A. § 50-27-133 caps Type 1 licenses at 16, reserving five for Georgia professional sports teams and one each for specific golf, racing, and lottery entities, with seven awarded through public procurement.
- O.C.G.A. § 50-27-130 sets application and annual licensing fees: $100,000/$1 million for Type 1 licensees, $10,000/$100,000 for online service providers, and $2,000/$20,000 for equipment suppliers.
- O.C.G.A. § 50-27-150 imposes a 27.5 percent privilege tax on adjusted gross income from betting, deposited into the new Georgia Sports Betting Proceeds Trust Fund.
- O.C.G.A. § 50-27-162 bars specified insiders, including athletes, coaches, and team officials, from betting, with fines up to $7,500 and jail time for repeat violations.
- O.C.G.A. § 50-27-135 prohibits any proposition bets on collegiate sporting events.
- Section 3-1 amends O.C.G.A. § 16-12-20 so that money paid for sports betting is not counted as illegal gambling under state law.
- Section 5-1 makes the entire Act effective January 1, 2027, contingent on voter ratification of a constitutional amendment, with automatic repeal if the amendment fails.
From the bill
“The ability to offer sports betting in this state under a license issued in accordance with this article constitutes a taxable privilege and not a right”
“there shall be imposed an annual privilege tax of 27.5 percent of the adjusted gross income derived from online sports betting”
“No licensee shall offer or accept any proposition bet on a collegiate sporting event.”
Status timeline
- House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Marcus Wiedower (R, HD-121)
- Charles Martin (R, HD-049)
- Matt Dubnik (R, HD-029)
- Noel Williams (R, HD-148)
- Matt Reeves (R, HD-099)
Topics
- sports betting
- gambling regulation
- Georgia Lottery Corporation
- state tax revenue
- constitutional amendment