SB571: SB571 Online Internet Safety; age verification to access gambling content on the internet; require

Georgia law currently does not require websites to verify a visitor's age before letting them access online gambling content such as sports betting, casino-style games, or prediction markets. Senate Bill 571 would add a new section to Georgia's online internet safety law (O.C.G.A. Chapter 5 of Title 39) requiring any commercial entity operating a website where more than one third of the material involves online gambling to use a reasonable age verification method, such as a digital ID, government-issued identification, or a method meeting federal identity assurance standards. Companies that fail to verify age and allow a minor to access gambling content could be fined up to $10,000 per violation, sued directly by affected individuals for damages and attorney's fees, and prosecuted by the Attorney General, a solicitor general, or a district attorney within one year of the violation. Companies also could not retain identifying information collected during verification once access is granted. The bill exempts news organizations, cloud service providers, and internet service providers that do not control the content in question.

• Requires commercial entities to verify a user is at least 18 before granting access to websites where more than a third of the content is online gambling.
• Allows age verification through a digitized ID, a government-issued ID, or a method meeting the federal Identity Assurance Level 2 standard.
• Creates a private right of action letting individuals sue companies for damages, court costs, and attorney's fees if a minor accesses gambling content due to a verification failure.
• Authorizes fines of up to $10,000 per violation, enforced by the Attorney General, a solicitor general, or a district attorney within one year of the violation.
• Bars companies from retaining identifying information collected during age verification once access is granted, with liability for violations.
• Exempts news-gathering organizations, cloud service providers, and internet service providers that do not control the gambling content from the new requirements.

Companies that operate gambling-related websites, including sports betting, casino-style gaming, and prediction market platforms, are directly regulated. Minors and their families gain new legal remedies, news organizations and cloud and internet service providers are exempted, and prosecutors and the Attorney General gain new enforcement duties.

If enacted, Georgians under 18 would face a new barrier to accessing gambling websites, since operators would have to verify age before granting entry. Families could sue companies that fail to do so, and companies would face state fines, changing how gambling-adjacent sites operate in Georgia and how they handle identifying data.

• Adds new Code Section 39-5-6 defining terms such as 'online gambling,' 'sports betting,' 'casino style gaming,' 'prediction market trading,' and 'reasonable age verification' (subsection (a)).
• Subsection (b) requires reasonable age verification before access to a website with a substantial portion (over 33.33 percent) of gambling content, listing acceptable verification methods.
• Subsection (c) makes a noncompliant commercial entity liable for damages, court costs, and attorney's fees, and subject to fines up to $10,000 per violation, enforced by prosecutors within one year.
• Subsection (d) prohibits retaining identifying information after verification and creates liability for knowing retention.
• Subsection (e) exempts news and public interest broadcasts, news-gathering organizations, and cloud service providers from the requirements.
• Subsection (f) shields internet service providers, affiliates, and search engines from liability when they do not control the gambling content or communication.

1. 2026-02-25Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2026-02-24Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)Primary sponsor
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)
• John Albers (R, SD-056)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)

• online gambling
• age verification
• internet safety
• consumer protection
• sports betting