With a population of 3.989million (2020 data) Georgia is situated in the Deep South and is still waiting for sports betting to open up locally. And the wait could be a long one, potentially until 2024 at least.
‘The Peach State’ already has some high-powered sports franchises and a strong fanbase. In Atlanta the NFL’s Falcons and MLB’s Braves lead the way.
In college the University of Georgia is a permanent powerhouse, and its football stadium in Athens, where games are played “between the hedges”, is one of the nation’s most iconic values. The Bulldogs are must-watch TV, at Sanford Stadium.
Here’s the latest on the situation in Georgia, as it bids to legalize sports betting in the future.
Is sports betting legal in Georgia?
Sports betting is not legal in the state of Georgia. And March 2021 brought fresh misery for those hoping to get it across the line.
Hopes were high when Resolution 135 (allowing voters to make the decision on sports betting) and Bill 142 (how betting would be regulated) both passed in the Senate.
But the two key pieces of legislation both failed to get a House vote before the 2021 session adjourned. Now we wait for the 2022 session to see if things change. At very earliest it looks like 2023 for sports betting, but likely even later.
With Georgia – like most states – staring at a big budget deficit due to the impact of COVID-19, it perhaps comes as a surprise that there wasn’t more urgency and support to get things passed in 2021.
Legal sports betting near Georgia
While Georgia has not opened up for sports betting yet, other states have. And because the law is all about your location when you bet, not your residency, that means you have betting options available right now:
Tennessee: The state opened up in late 2020, unusually with no land-based options. It’s online and mobile all the way, so far. If you don’t mind the six-hour drive to the state line via I-75N, you must be in Tennessee and aged 21 or older to place a bet. Already driving big revenues (a total handle of more than $500million in the first three months).
NB: Sports betting is now legal in North Carolina too. The only problem is there is still nowhere to place a bet. We’ll update our NC state guide as that situation evolves.
Are offshore sportsbooks legal in Georgia?
No, offshore sportsbooks are not legal in the state of Georgia. Even if and when the state allows sports betting, it won’t license these companies.
The sign-up offers are tempting and it all seems too good to be true. When that’s the case, there’s normally a catch.
In this situation, the problem revolves around consumer protection, like the fact you have none. Zero. Nada.
Stick to legal options with the U.S. You can’t go wrong betting with licensed operators.