Georgia lawmakers are pushing bills that would allow sports betting and horse race betting without a state constitutional amendment, arguing that can be legal under the authority of the state lottery.
The House and Senate are taking different approaches, with Watkinsville Republican Rep. Marcus on Monday introducing House Bill 380, which would allow sports betting only. Meanwhile, a Senate committee on Tuesday held a hearing on Senate Bill 57, which would explicitly include horse racing as part of sports gambling. That bill, sponsored by Sen. Billy Hickman, a Statesboro Republican, would also authorize three horse racing tracks with betting statewide.
A committee could vote on the House bill this week, while Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee Chairman Brandon Beach, an Alpharetta Republican, promises a vote on the Senate bill next week.
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