Georgia Sports Betting Bill Fails to Move Forward

A proposal to legalize sports betting in Georgia will not move forward, according to a report from Fox 5. Senate Resolution 131, which aimed to regulate both online and in-person sports wagering with a 20% tax, failed to pass the State Senate’s Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee.

The bill’s sponsor, Senator Carden Summers, had proposed distributing tax revenue from sports betting equally among all 159 counties in Georgia. However, the resolution did not gain enough support to advance.

Opposition to the measure came from multiple sides. Mike Griffin, public affairs representative with the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, called the decision a “victory” and noted that members of both parties opposed the bill.

Griffin pointed to concerns beyond financial impact. “You think about the mental health issues that are related to it. You think about the increase in addiction. You think about how up to a third of addicted gamblers are going to consider committing suicide,” he said.

Georgia remains one of the few states without legalized sports betting, despite interest from lawmakers in recent years. With the resolution failing in committee, no sports betting initiative will appear on the ballot in the near future.