Sports gambling advocates in Georgia were dealt a setback Thursday when the state Senate rejected a bill that would have allowed sports betting, including on horse races.
Lawmakers voted 37-19 against Senate Bill 57, which would have ordered the state lottery to set up sports betting and wagering on horse races, so long as winnings at the track were paid by the track itself or another company instead of by the betting pool. That traditional set-up, which also allows odds to change right up to race time, is known as pari-mutuel betting.
Lawmakers are set to revisit the issue before Monday. Another bill that would allow sports betting but exclude horse racing is awaiting a vote in the Georgia House, and a proposal to let voters decide the question via referendum could still get a vote in the Senate. Georgia’s Constitution explicitly bans pari-mutuel betting and casinos.
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