---
title: SR 131. Sports Betting and Casino Gambling Activities; operation and regulation; authorize the Georgia General Assembly - CA
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sr131
cite_as: SR 131, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr131
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr131.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr131/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69932
date: 2025-02-05
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.
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 95
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr131.md?full=1
bill_number: SR 131
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2025-02-04
last_action: Senate Read and Referred
sponsors:
- Carden Summers
- Billy Hickman
- Brandon Beach
- Lee Anderson
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR131/2025
upstream_id: 1955617
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- sports betting
- casino gambling
- constitutional amendment
- gambling regulation
- county funding
---
# SR 131. Sports Betting and Casino Gambling Activities; operation and regulation; authorize the Georgia General Assembly - CA
## Text
Senate Resolution 131
By: Senators Summers of the 13th, Hickman of the 4th, Beach of the 21st and Anderson of
the 24th
A RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Georgia so as to authorize the
Georgia General Assembly to provide by law for the operation and regulation of sports
betting and casino gambling activities in this state; to provide for the regulation and taxation
of such activities; to provide for the allocation of revenues derived from such activities; to
provide for related matters; to provide for the submission of this amendment for ratification
or rejection; and for other purposes.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article I, Section II of the Constitution is amended in Paragraph VIII, relating to lotteries and
nonprofit bingo games, by revising the caption and subparagraph (a) and by adding a new
subparagraph to read as follows:
"Paragraph VIII. Lotteries, and nonprofit bingo games, raffles by nonprofit
organizations, betting, and casino gambling. (a) Except as herein specifically provided
in this Paragraph VIII, all lotteries, and the sale of lottery tickets, and all forms of sports
betting, pari-mutuel betting, and casino gambling are hereby prohibited; and this
prohibition shall be enforced by penal laws."
"(e)(1) The General Assembly may by law provide for the operation and regulation of
sports betting and casino gambling activities in this state.
(2) For the purpose of taxation and regulation of the sports betting and casino gambling
activities authorized by this subparagraph (e), the General Assembly shall create a
gaming commission and provide such commission with such powers and duties as
necessary to provide appropriate regulation of such sports betting and casino gambling
activities and to tax such activities.
(3) All casino gambling activities authorized by this subparagraph (e) shall take place
at a casino facility owned and operated by an individual or entity that has been issued a
casino gaming license in this state, as no off-site casino gambling activities shall be
permitted or authorized in this state. The General Assembly shall provide by law for the
issuance of at least eight casino gaming licenses by the gaming commission and each
such casino gaming license shall authorize the licensee to create and operate a single
casino facility within this state; provided, however, that no individual or entity shall be
issued more than one casino gaming license in this state and no individual or entity shall
own an interest in more than one entity that has been issued a casino gaming license in
this state.
(4) The General Assembly shall provide by law for the taxation of the sports betting
and casino gambling activities authorized by this subparagraph (e) at a rate of 20 percent
of the gross income of such activities less any operating expenses allowed by law,
amounts paid out as winnings, and amounts permitted by law to be held in reserve. The
proceeds derived from such taxation of the sports betting and casino gambling activities
authorized by this subparagraph (e) shall be paid into and dedicated to a special trust fund
to be created by the General Assembly and designated as the 'Georgia Gaming Proceeds
Fund,' from which funds shall be disbursed in accordance with the provisions of
subparagraph (e)(5) of this Paragraph. All other proceeds derived from the regulation of
such sports betting and casino gambling activities shall, notwithstanding the provisions
of Article VII, Section III, Paragraph II(a) and without any appropriation required by law,
be used to pay the operating expenses of the gaming commission and, as may be provided
by law, fund any operating reserves relating to the regulation of such sports betting and
casino gambling activities, except that the net proceeds after payment of such operating
expenses and the funding of such operating reserves shall be paid into the Georgia
Gaming Proceeds Fund.
(5) All proceeds derived from the sports betting and casino gambling activities
authorized by this subparagraph (e) that are required to be paid into the Georgia Gaming
Proceeds Fund shall not be subject to the provisions of Article III, Section IX, Paragraph
VI, relating to the allocation of proceeds, or Article VII, Section III, Paragraph II(a),
relating to payment into the general fund of the state treasury, and shall be separately
accounted for and specifically identified by the Governor in his or her annual budget
presented to the General Assembly as a separate budget category entitled 'Gaming
Commission Proceeds.' The first $2 billion of such proceeds that are paid into the
Georgia Gaming Proceeds Fund shall be evenly appropriated by the General Assembly
to the governing authorities of each county in this state. Thereafter, all such additional
proceeds that are paid into the Georgia Gaming Proceeds Fund shall be appropriated by
the General Assembly for any purpose; provided, however, that:
(A) The first $500 million of such additional proceeds paid into the Georgia Gaming
Proceeds Fund each fiscal year shall be evenly appropriated by the General Assembly
to the governing authorities of each county in this state until a total of at least $5 billion
has been appropriated to the governing authorities of such counties under this
subparagraph; and
(B) At least 5 percent of such additional proceeds beyond any proceeds required to
be appropriated by the General Assembly to the governing authorities of each county
of this state pursuant to subparagraph (e)(5)(A) of this Paragraph shall be appropriated
by the General Assembly for programs and services that seek to prevent individuals
from experiencing, and providing assistance to individuals who experience, addiction
or other problems relating to betting or gambling.
(6) The appropriation of such proceeds derived from the sports betting and casino
gambling activities authorized by this subparagraph (e) that are made pursuant to
subparagraph (e)(5) of this Paragraph shall not be subject to the provisions of Article III,
Section IX, Paragraph IV(c), relating to the lapsing of funds.
SECTION 2.
The above proposed amendment to the Constitution shall be published and submitted as
provided in Article X, Section I, Paragraph II of the Constitution. The ballot submitting the
above proposed amendment shall have written or printed thereon the following:
"( ) YES Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to authorize the General
( ) NO Assembly to provide by law for the operation and regulation of sports
betting and casino gambling activities in this state?"
All persons desiring to vote in favor of ratifying the proposed amendment shall vote "Yes."
All persons desiring to vote against ratifying the proposed amendment shall vote "No." If
such amendment shall be ratified as provided in said Paragraph of the Constitution, it shall
become a part of the Constitution of this state.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary.
A proposed Georgia constitutional amendment would let the General Assembly legalize and regulate sports betting and casino gambling, require at least eight casino licenses, tax gambling revenue at 20 percent, and send billions to county governments.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia's Constitution currently bans nearly all lotteries, betting, and casino gambling except the state lottery and nonprofit bingo. This resolution proposes a constitutional amendment that would let the General Assembly pass laws authorizing and regulating sports betting and casino gambling statewide.
The amendment requires the legislature to create a gaming commission to regulate and tax these activities, and to issue at least eight casino gaming licenses, with each license limited to one casino facility per owner and no off-site casino gambling allowed. Gambling activities would be taxed at 20 percent of gross income after certain deductions, with proceeds flowing into a new 'Georgia Gaming Proceeds Fund.' The first $2 billion from that fund would be split evenly among all Georgia counties, and additional rules dedicate future money to counties and gambling-addiction programs. Voters would ultimately decide whether to ratify the amendment.
### What it does
- Proposes a constitutional amendment letting the General Assembly legalize and regulate sports betting and casino gambling in Georgia, both currently banned.
- Requires the legislature to create a gaming commission to regulate and tax these gambling activities.
- Mandates issuance of at least eight casino gaming licenses, limits each owner to one license, and bans off-site casino gambling.
- Sets a 20 percent tax rate on gross gambling income after operating expenses, winnings, and reserves are subtracted.
- Creates a 'Georgia Gaming Proceeds Fund' and directs the first $2 billion, then further set amounts, to be split evenly among county governments.
- Requires at least 5 percent of additional proceeds beyond county payments to fund gambling addiction prevention and treatment programs.
### Who it affects
Georgia voters, who would decide the amendment; the General Assembly and a new gaming commission, which would write and enforce gambling rules; casino and sports betting operators seeking licenses; county governments, which would receive gambling tax revenue; and people affected by gambling addiction, who would be served by new prevention programs.
### Why it matters
If ratified, this would end Georgia's broad constitutional ban on betting and casino gambling, opening the door to a regulated industry with tax revenue funneled to every county and to addiction services, while limiting the market to a small number of licensed casinos statewide.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 revises Article I, Section II, Paragraph VIII to remove the prohibition on sports betting and casino gambling and allow the General Assembly to authorize and regulate them.
- Requires creation of a gaming commission with power to regulate and tax sports betting and casino gambling activities.
- Limits casino gambling to licensed, physical casino facilities and requires at least eight licenses statewide, with a one-license-per-owner cap.
- Sets a 20 percent tax on gross gambling income (after expenses, winnings, and reserves) paid into the Georgia Gaming Proceeds Fund.
- Directs the first $2 billion in fund proceeds to be split evenly among county governing authorities, then further amounts up to $5 billion total, with at least 5 percent of remaining proceeds for gambling addiction programs.
- Exempts these gambling proceeds from standard state budget rules on fund allocation, general fund deposits, and lapsing of unspent funds.
- Section 2 sets the ballot language asking voters to approve or reject the constitutional amendment.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-02-04)
- Last action: Senate Read and Referred (2025-02-05)
- Sponsors: Carden Summers, Billy Hickman, Brandon Beach, Lee Anderson
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69932
> The history, votes, and amendments (95 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr131.md?full=1