The Georgia Senate Regulated Industries Committee recently passed Senate Resolution 131, which would leave it to voters to allow horseracing. The committee also passed Senate Bill 212, which would establish a Georgia Horse Racing Commission to license and regulate up to five racetracks in the state. Similar legislation passed the Senate last year but stalled in the House.
A recent study by Georgia Southern University showed building three horseracing tracks would create a $1.28 billion industry and more than 8,500 jobs. Supporters said expanding gambling also would generate hundreds of millions of dollars to fund education, health care or rural broadband. Conservative and religious groups oppose expanding any form of gambling because they said it’s an addictive habit that breeds crime.
Constitutional amendments require approval from two-thirds of each chamber, then a voter referendum requiring a majority to approve allowing horseracing in the state.
SB 212 would tax total money wagered at a racetrack at 3.75 percent, to be used for gambling addiction services, education, health care and rural development.
Bettors could wager on real-time live races at a Georgia racetrack or another track simulcasting at the Georgia facility. Slots or other types of gambling would not be allowed.
Georgia Baptist Mission Board Lobbyist Mike Griffin, said, “This would probably be the lesser of three evils. My experience of being here through the years is that typically one thing leads to another. Two years from now there’s a possibility this group will be back here saying, ‘We’re going to have to add more types of gambling in here because we’re not making money.’”
