Georgia Tourism Committee Adds Last-Minute Sports Betting Recommendation

A Georgia Senate committee that has been examining ways to boost tourism has added a recommendation to legalize mobile sports betting. 

The proposal was inserted just before publication of the committee’s report and was not discussed during the committee’s final meeting. 

The Senate Study Committee reviewed several ideas to increase the state’s competitiveness. During an earlier hearing, it was noted that North Carolina sports betting allocates 30% of its revenues to attract major events, suggesting Georgia could benefit from a similar revenue stream. 

Reports suggest that the Senate has already advanced legislation to the House and that lawmakers may revisit the topic of legal Georgia sports betting next year. Meanwhile, a separate House committee concluded its own review of legalized gaming and is preparing a final report. 

Opposition to gambling remains strong. Earlier this year, Rep. Marcus Wiedower introduced a bill that would have put sports betting on the ballot for voters in 2026. The proposal excluded casinos and other physical gambling venues and didn’t make it through the House. 

Groups, including the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, have argued before lawmakers that the social costs of gambling must be considered alongside projected economic benefits.

Georgia is bordered by three states: Tennessee, North Carolina, and Florida, all of which offer some form of sports betting. However, neighboring Alabama and South Carolina retain a ban. 

Missouri launches legal sports betting 

While Georgia considers introducing online sports betting in hopes of boosting tourism, Missouri sports betting has officially launched as of Dec. 1. 

The launch marks a significant change for fans and operators as online platforms began accepting wagers. With multiple professional sports franchises and a large base of engaged fans, analysts have predicted that the state could quickly emerge as a significant market.

Of the eight states that border Missouri, seven offer sports betting, with Oklahoma being the sole exception. But in an interview with a local news site, betting analyst Christopher Boan explained why the state was well-positioned to capitalize on sports betting. 

“And that’s because of the state’s connection to an NFL team in Kansas City. Obviously, you have an NHL team in St. Louis. You have two Major League Baseball teams in the state. So that just means there’s a lot of betting interest and kind of makes the market primed to take off and really fly from day one,” Boan said. 

Nine Missouri sports betting apps have been licensed to offer sports betting, including well-known brands such as BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fanatics, among the eight launching on opening day after Underdog withdrew its license to focus on the prediction market apps scene.

Boan predicted that the first year’s betting handle could reach as high as $4 billion, but was also keen to emphasize that the state’s betting providers were required to provide an array of safe gambling tools, including deposit limits and self-exclusion.