ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – A middle Georgia lawmaker has introduced yet another attempt to let voters approve a constitutional amendment allowing online sports betting in one of the last Bible Belt holdouts.
State Rep. Marcus Wiedower’s (R-Watkinsville) HR 450 has 57 co-sponsors, including 47 Republicans and 10 Democrats.
The legislation calls for a constitutional amendment, following the same approval process used for the Georgia Lottery and establishment of HOPE Scholarship. Wiedower said regulated online sports betting could generate up to $150 million for Georgia Pre-K.
The constitutional amendment would require a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate. Wiedower said voters would then decide, with a simple majority, whether to amend the state constitution to allow sports betting under the Georgia Lottery.
“It’s time to bring safe, regulated online sports betting to Georgians,” Wiedower said. “This legislation will protect consumers and generate meaningful revenue for our Pre-K system, potentially up to $150 million. HR 450 will also help stamp out illegal offshore apps that don’t verify ages or identities, putting our minors at risk and offering no consumer protections.
This resolution empowers Georgians to decide how to best invest in our children’s futures, fund essential education programs and create strict oversight for responsible gaming.”
Online sports betting has been on lawmakers’ agendas for years, but its various plans and proposals have never made it out of any legislative session. Crossover Day under the Gold Dome is Thursday, meaning a bill must pass out of its originating legislative chamber to be considered by the other chamber before the end of the legislative session.
“We’ve never seen this level of support before in the House for this resolution, and it gives me great confidence of its success as we head into the final month of session,” Wiedower said. “We know from polling that Georgians overwhelmingly support legalization to increase education funding, and they deserve a say on the issue.”
If approved by voters, Georgia would join 39 other states in legalizing sports betting. Only the Peach State, South Carolina and Alabama have no form of legalized online gambling, according to the American Gaming Association.
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