The Georgia Senate has approved a resolution that calls for a referendum on legalizing online sports betting.
If a constitutional amendment is approved by voters, proceeds from sports betting would go to fund needs-based scholarships, rural health care and expanding rural broadband.
Forty-one senators voted in favor of House Resolution 135, meaning it surpassed the necessary two-thirds majority.
Republican Sen. Jeff Mullis sponsored the resolution.
“A ‘yes’ vote is to allow the people to vote ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ And I’ve been here for awhile and I’ve never had any problems with allowing the people to vote,” said Mullis.
There had been debate and conflicting legal opinions over whether an amendment would be needed to legalize sports betting.
“Even the proponents of sports betting agree that it’s cleaner and uncontroversial to let the voters decide,” said Sen. Bill Cowsert, chair of the regulated industries committee and co-sponsor of the resolution.
Democrat Elena Parent sponsored an amendment to the bill that ensures that at least half of the proceeds from sports betting went to need-based scholarships.
“The money can go to any of these three things, however, we say we want it to be very clear that this money will be prioritized, 50%, for assistance to Georgians to get the higher education that they need to get and that our state needs them to get to remain competitive,” said Parent.
The amendment passed.
Sports betting currently happens in Georgia, but it is unregulated and the state generates no revenue from it.
The bill now needs approval of two-thirds of the House. If approved there, the referendum wouldn’t appear on the ballot until 2022.
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