Georgia CommonsHouse · Introduced · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HB 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 the General Assembly's website lists.
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but only if Georgia voters ratify a constitutional amendment authorizing sports betting; otherwise it is automatically repealed.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.”
Discussed in meetings (3)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
House Higher Education Committee, March 6, 2026
From 0:46:02 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 686 would implement online sports betting if voters approved the related constitutional amendment. The sponsor described an increase in the proposed tax rate from 24% to 27.5% and technical updates reflecting other code changes, with revenue still directed to HOPE and pre-K. The sponsor estimated $200 million in annual revenue and said Georgia would become the 40th state to regulate and tax online sports betting. One member questioned whether gambling participants whose children could not receive HOPE would benefit. The sponsor pointed to proposed medical scholarships and broader education funding. Other members asked about school meals, education for children under three and dedicated building funding for historically Black colleges and universities. The chair said the proposals did not change existing constitutional spending categories and that eligible projects would depend on budget decisions. After seven members voted for the bill and seven against, the chair voted in favor, and the measure advanced with a do-pass recommendation.
House Rules Committee, March 6, 2026
From 0:44:30 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 2178
Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor presented HB 686 together with HR 450 as an online sports betting referendum and its related implementing legislation. The sponsor said the only substantive change to language available for a year was increasing the tax rate from 24% to 27.5%. The chair said copies would be provided after the measures were reported out. No decision was recorded.
House Rules Committee, March 6, 2026
From 1:22:25 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 2178
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee placed HB 686 on the supplemental floor calendar under modified structured rules. No substantive discussion occurred.
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)
- Chuck Martin (R, HD-49)
- Matt Dubnik (R, HD-29)
- Noel Williams, Jr. (R, HD-148)
- Matt Reeves (R, HD-99)
Topics
- sports betting
- gambling regulation
- Georgia Lottery Corporation
- state tax revenue
- constitutional amendment