PGA Tour Pushes for Georgia Sports Betting

Scott Warfield, who leads the PGA Tour's gaming division, testified in front of lawmakers in support of legalization.

Ziv Chen

Last Updated: August 26, 2025 1:57 PM EDT • 3 minute read

PGA Tour Pushes for Georgia Sports Betting — Pictured: PGA Tour logo sign is shown as we look at the PGA Tour pushing for legal Georgia sports betting. Photo by Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images.

The PGA Tour has joined the growing coalition of professional sports organizations urging lawmakers to approve Georgia sports betting, per a report by local media outlet WSB-TV.

Scott Warfield, who leads the PGA Tour's gaming division, testified in front of lawmakers in support of legalization. His comments confirmed current efforts by the state's major franchises, including the Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, and Atlanta United, to promote regulated wagering via mobile devices.

“This is a way to get the core fan engaged longer on our sport,” said Scott Warfield, head of the PGA Tour’s gaming division. “They engage more with our content and follow the tournaments closely.”

The House Study Committee on Gaming is examining both sports betting and casino gambling as part of its review process. Georgia has failed multiple times over the past decade to legalize wagering, but lawmakers are reconsidering the issue as part of a broader fiscal strategy.

Proposals to eliminate the state income tax have created pressure to identify alternative revenue sources. Legislators noted that the recently launched North Carolina sports betting market generated over $110 million in revenue from licensing fees and taxation.

The committee is scheduled for two additional meetings before submitting recommendations to the General Assembly.

Georgia lawmakers revisit debate

Last month, Georgia lawmakers resumed debate over legalized gambling as the House Study Committee on Gaming opened its first hearing in Watkinsville. Committee Chair Ron Stephens remarked that the issue has persisted for decades without resolution.

Discussion at the first session focused on a proposed casino resort in Henry County. Supporters highlighted that the project could deliver up to 3,000 construction jobs and 2,500 to 3,000 permanent positions. Previous laws had anticipated six casino resorts around the state with a $2 billion annual economic impact.

Others pointed to surveys demonstrating broad voter support in a statewide referendum to authorize more gambling. However, opponents, including Citizen Impact, warned lobbying power could trump a public vote.

Legislators indicated that one main area of disagreement will be where to allocate gambling revenues, and potential destinations could include healthcare or education funding. Supporters contended that gambling is already taking place in Georgia but is untaxed and unregulated.

PGA Tour expands digital gaming presence

While Georgia debates legalization, the PGA Tour continues expanding its online gaming footprint. PENN Entertainment recently introduced PGA TOUR Mines, a golf-themed instant game now available on Hollywood Casino in the New Jersey online casino market and theScore Casino in the Ontario online casino market.

PGA TOUR Mines incorporates golf course-inspired artwork and branded graphics. It allows players to select tiles on a grid for multipliers while avoiding hidden mines. The game provides the option to cash out or continue risk-based play.

The launch followed the release of PGA TOUR Blackjack in May, both part of a multi-year partnership between Penn and the PGA Tour. It has also been rolled out on ESPN BET in New Jersey and theScore Bet in Ontario, further linking Penn's sports betting and real-money online casino operations.

Written by:
Ziv Chen

Ziv has over two decades of experience in the igaming and sports betting industry, having served in senior marketing and business development positions with both B2C and B2B companies, including Playtech and Microgaming. In 2019, Ziv decided to pursue his passion for writing and became a fulltime industry journalist, covering casino, sports, and gambling business news. He’s specialties include casino games and technology, US state gambling regulation, company performance, as well as gambling affiliates and marketing. As a Pitt graduate, Ziv is a diehard fan of all Pittsburgh sports teams, with the Steelers at the top of the list. In his free time, he enjoys reading crime fiction, biographies (mainly of sports personalities, but not only) and American history. Ziv’s Favorite quote: “We're going to pursue perfection, knowing full well we won't catch it, but we're going to relentlessly chase it," Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach.