On Thursday, one of many gambling bills that were floating around the Georgia legislature was defeated in the Senate. By a vote of 19 to 37, Senate Bill Hickman’s SB57 sports betting and horse-racing legislation was defeated.
Many opposed the bill’s element that would allow the state to regulate horse racing tracks during a committee hearing. This bill would also legalize and regulate sports betting without the need for a constitutional amendment or a referendum.
This defeat is not good news for the proposition but it does not mean that Georgia will stop betting on sports in 2023. and SR140 would prove that the proposition is still in motion in committee. They could be put to a vote very soon.
Bills must be crossed to the other chamber by Monday March 6th, as there is a clock ticking.
SB172/SR140, unlike SB57, would legalize sports betting via a voter referendum. It also does not include horse racing, making it easier for the Senate to approve.
Two other measures are still being considered by the House. HTML380 remains as the last piece of legislation to legalize sports betting. H210 would require a constitutional amend to allow for both sports betting and casinos to be legalized in the state.
