A key Georgia sports betting sponsor argues that political tailwinds in the state favor legal sportsbooks.
Republican Sen. Brandon Beach, who has sponsored Georgia sports betting legislation in the past, wrote an op-ed for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Wednesday titled, “The Georgia swing voters who helped elect Trump want sports betting.”
Beach said the fact that Georgia remains one of 11 US states without legal sportsbooks “is shortsighted.” He also blames his own party for the lack of movement on the issue.
Beach’s Georgia sports betting argument
Beach said that while the industry is illegal, “Google search data shows Georgia is one of the top locations for people searching for illegal and offshore casino Bovada.” He also noted that GeoComply has found more than a 100% increase year over year in Georgia accounts attempting to access legal sportsbooks in other states.
Beach goes on to say that the lack of legal sportsbooks will cost the state billions of dollars and could lead to Atlanta dropping out of the hosting circuits of major sporting events, like the Super Bowl.
“Georgia Republicans were right to chastise Stacey Abrams for costing our economy hundreds of millions in economic activity when the MLB pulled the All-Star game over her claims about an elections and voting bill the Legislature passed in 2021,” Beach wrote.
“Republicans will only have ourselves to blame when FIFA, the NFL, the NCAA and others decide Georgia isn’t a fan-friendly state to locate big games because of our refusal to legalize sports betting.”
Voters want at least a choice
Beach noted a Republican primary question last May that asked, “Would you support a statewide vote to allow gaming in Georgia so the voters can decide this issue instead of politicians in Atlanta?”
More than 81% of voters said there should be a vote. To which Beach posed a question: “Why do Republicans keep denying our base that opportunity?”
He also noted that Latino males are among the most active sports bettors, a demographic that switched from President Joe Biden in 2020 by 23 points to President-elect Donald Trump by 12 points this year.
“Time is running out,” Beach wrote. “Soon, the national and international sporting community will descend on our state for some of the biggest events in sports. We can either welcome fans with safe and legal sports betting in Georgia, or we can disappoint fans and foreclose ourselves from future big sporting events. For me, the choice is easy.”
Georgia sports betting efforts
Georgia has been a strong candidate to legalize for the past several years. However, various segments of lawmakers cannot reach a unanimous decision on how to legalize the issue.
There was a bipartisan bill that gained steam in the Senate this year. A call by some for a constitutional amendment, however, caused some support to fall off. Lawmakers also could not agree on how to appropriate the tax dollars.
The initial bill would have legalized sports betting through the Georgia Lottery. It was supported by the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the Georgia sports teams.
Also of note, former Georgia Supreme Court Justice Harold Melton has opined that the expansion does not require a constitutional amendment.
