Supporters of legal sports gambling in Georgia renewed their push Tuesday, but it’s unclear whether they’re any closer to assembling a winning coalition after they went bust in 2023.
The Senate Regulated Industries Committee voted 8-4 to advance Senate Bill 172, which would legalize, regulate and tax sports betting in Georgia, sending it to the full Senate for more debate. But the measure requires a state constitutional amendment to take effect. That needs two-thirds of both the House and Senate before it could go to voters for approval in a statewide referendum.
The measure’s sponsor, Republican Sen. Bill Cowsert of Athens, argued again Tuesday that an amendment is needed because when Georgia voters approved a lottery in 1992, sports bets could only be placed in person in a Nevada casino. Vermont on Thursday will become the 38th state nationwide to allow sports betting, Some states allow only in-person bets, although most allow electronic betting from anywhere.
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