HB 910: Georgia Lottery Game of Sports Betting Act; enact

Sports betting is currently illegal gambling under Georgia law. This bill would create the 'Georgia Lottery Game of Sports Betting Act,' putting the Georgia Lottery Corporation in charge of licensing and regulating online sports betting statewide. It sets up multiple license types, including up to 18 'Type 1' licenses reserved mostly for professional sports teams, golf and racing venues, and their designated betting platform operators, plus licenses for platform operators and equipment suppliers. The bill requires bettors to be 21 or older and physically located in Georgia, bans wagering by people with inside access to games (players, coaches, officials, and certain college staff), and requires responsible-gambling tools like deposit limits and problem gambling resources. It imposes a 25 percent privilege tax on adjusted gross betting income, sets licensing fees ranging from $2,000 to $1.5 million, and creates civil and criminal penalties for illegal betting and disclosing nonpublic sports information. It also updates Georgia's gambling and sales tax laws so licensed sports betting is not treated as illegal gambling and wagers are exempt from sales tax. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it, though licenses could not be issued before September 1, 2025.

• Creates a new legal framework letting the Georgia Lottery Corporation license and regulate online sports betting statewide, ending its current status as illegal gambling.
• Establishes up to 18 'Type 1' sports betting licenses reserved largely for professional sports teams, certain golf and racing venues, and betting platform operators chosen through a public bidding process.
• Imposes a 25 percent privilege tax (a tax charged for the right to operate) on licensees' adjusted gross betting income, paid monthly to the corporation.
• Sets licensing fees, including a $100,000 application fee and $1.5 million annual fee for Type 1 licensees, and smaller fees for platform providers and equipment suppliers.
• Bans wagering by people with inside knowledge or influence over games, such as players, coaches, league officials, and certain college employees, with misdemeanor penalties for violations.
• Requires responsible-gambling protections, including self-imposed betting limits, problem gambling resources, and mandatory age and identity verification for bettors.

The Georgia Lottery Corporation, which would gain new regulatory duties; professional sports teams, golf tournaments, and racing venues eligible for licenses; betting platform operators and equipment suppliers seeking licenses; Georgia bettors aged 21 and older; and people barred from wagering, like athletes, coaches, league officials, and certain college staff and students.

If enacted, Georgians could legally place sports bets online for the first time, with state oversight of licensing, advertising, and problem gambling resources. Tax revenue from betting would flow to the state under the lottery's existing constitutional funding rules, while people with inside access to games would face new betting bans and penalties.

• Section 2-1 adds a new Article 4 to O.C.G.A. Title 50 establishing definitions, the Georgia Lottery Corporation's powers, and licensing procedures for sports betting (Code Sections 50-27-120 through 50-27-197).
• O.C.G.A. § 50-27-133 caps Type 1 sports betting licenses at 18 and reserves specific numbers for professional sports teams, golf tournaments, racing facilities, and a public procurement process for remaining licenses.
• O.C.G.A. § 50-27-150 sets a 25 percent monthly privilege tax on adjusted gross betting income, paid by licensees or their online platform providers.
• O.C.G.A. § 50-27-162 lists who cannot place wagers (athletes, officials, corporation employees, certain college staff) and sets escalating misdemeanor penalties and fines for violations.
• O.C.G.A. § 50-27-193 lets the corporation suspend or revoke licenses and impose fines up to $25,000 per violation for rule breaking.
• Section 3-1 amends Georgia's gambling law (O.C.G.A. § 16-12-20) to exclude money paid to a licensed sports betting operator from the legal definition of an illegal 'bet.'
• Section 4-1 exempts sports betting wagers from Georgia's state sales tax under O.C.G.A. § 48-8-3.
• Section 5-1 makes the law effective immediately upon the Governor's signature, though no licenses can be issued before September 1, 2025.

1. 2026-01-12House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-04-04House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-04-02House Hopper (House)

• James Hatchett (R, HD-155)Primary sponsor

• sports betting
• gambling regulation
• Georgia Lottery Corporation
• gambling addiction resources
• state tax policy