Last year, an Atlanta Journal-Constitution poll indicated 56 percent of likely Georgia voters would support land-based casinos. The eighth most populous state in the US, Georgia is one of just nine states that does not have any commercial or tribal casinos. Yet the state’s top political leaders, Governor Nathan Deal, Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle and House Speaker David Ralston have opposed any proposals to allow two to six casino resorts. The Georgia Republican state committee also voted last year to oppose casino gambling and horse racing.
As the 40-day legislative session begins, House Economic Development and Tourism Chairman Ron Stephens said, “I’ll try every way in the world to try and get it done,” but he acknowledged, “Anything that even sounds controversial is going to be a tough sell.”
MGM Resorts International Executive Vice President of Global Corporate Communications and Industry Affairs Alan M. Feldman noted, “As the conversation continues, it’s important to consider the reality at hand: Georgians are already gambling at casinos in North Carolina and Alabama, and the tax revenue from that activity is not supporting much-needed programs in Georgia but instead is flowing from local communities to neighboring states.”
Casino supporters said expanded gambling in Georgia could create thousands of jobs and generate hundreds of millions of dollars for Georgia Lottery-funded education programs like the HOPE Scholarship. Last year, pro-casino legislators believed dedicating a portion of casino tax revenue to a new needs-based scholarship would attract enough support, but that effort failed.
Meanwhile, political contributions from gaming operators and lobbyists have slowed since the 2016 session, when they gave more than $200,000 to the campaign war chests of leading legislators. But MGM, Wynn Resorts, Las Vegas Sands, Penn National Gaming, Boyd Gaming and Golden Nugget all have lobbyists in the state capital to promote casinos.
Recently inaugurated Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said she’s not sure she’d like a casino in Atlanta. She said she would be open to discuss legalized casino gambling but was had some doubts. “I’d prefer that my mother have to drive to casinos,” she said.
Other opponents include conservative groups and religious leaders. Faith and Freedom Coalition of Georgia lobbyist Virginia Galloway said although legislation didn’t gain traction last year, she plans to follow all developments. “Georgia is just too good a state to need casinos. We certainly don’t need more bankruptcy and crime, certainly in the city of Atlanta or anywhere else in Georgia. I think Georgia would be wise to continue to avoid any movement on casino gambling,” she said.
