The legislative session in Georgia ends March 28. That puts a sell-by date on the slim chances of getting a sports betting bill to the governor’s desk this year.
The Senate approved two measures, companion pieces when taken together would put the matter to a vote in November’s election. The House Higher Education Committee discussed Senate Bill 386 but took no action March 12. Nor did the committee discuss Resolution 579, which gives permission to put the bill on the ballot. A second hearing in the Higher Education Committee is scheduled for March 18.
The House seems to have some concerns about the tax appropriation part, Rep. Chuck Martin told Legal Sports Report.
House members also questioned Senate bill sponsor, Clint Dixon, about the differences between his bill this year and the House bill last year that passed. Other inquiries dealt with problem gambling issues and aid to Georgia education. Still other members worried about including college betting.
Dixon also had no issue with adding daily fantasy sports (DFS) amendments to the bill despite the Senate rejection of a DFS House bill in February.
Still other concerns speak to the large amount of funding needed to promote a ballot initiative.
“It’s risky and if it goes to the ballot and fails, that sets us back like five years in a state like Georgia,” one source told LSR.
Politics unrelated to sports betting still hangs in the air in Georgia and because of some opposition on each side, passage hinges on bipartisan support.
The Georgia sports betting proposal would establish 16 licenses, eight linked to pro sports organizations. The lottery would be eligible to apply for a license, with the rest going out to bid. The tax rate would be 20 percent.
