Senate committee approves sports betting bill
By Dave Williams, Capitol Beat News Service
ATLANTA — A state Senate committee overwhelmingly approved legislation Tuesday legalizing sports betting in Georgia.
Under Senate Bill 386, which the Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee passed 8-2, the Georgia Lottery Corp. would award 16 licenses to sports betting operators.
Five licenses would go to Atlanta’s pro sports teams: the Braves, Falcons, Hawks, Dream, and Atlanta United. The Augusta National Golf Club, the Professional Golf Association, and the Atlanta Motor Speedway would receive one license each.
Seven licenses would be open to sports betting operators through an application process overseen by lottery officials. The lottery corporation also would receive one license.
Twenty percent of the adjusted gross revenues derived from sports betting would go toward Georgia’s HOPE Scholarships and pre-kindergarten programs.
The bill would legalize sports betting without requiring a constitutional amendment. Whether bringing sports betting to Georgia without amending the state’s constitution is legal has been a subject of debate among lawmakers for several years.
A second sports betting measure that does require a constitutional amendment cleared the Senate Regulated Industries & Utilities Committee during the first week of this year’s legislative session.
On Monday, representatives of the Metro Atlanta Chamber and PrizePicks, a daily fantasy sports operator, spoke in favor of the bill.
Nick Fernandez, director of government affairs for the chamber, said the bill would generate an estimated $100 million annually for HOPE and pre-K. Stuart Wilkinson of PrizePicks told the committee adding fantasy sports to the mix would add another $35 million.
Several spokesmen for faith-based organizations spoke out in opposition to the bill.
“Gambling is basically legalized fraud,” Mike Griffin, public affairs representative for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, said. “You can’t win. The industry can’t lose.”
“The disastrous effects of problem gambling are well-known and well-documented,” Mack Parnell, executive director of the Georgia Faith and Freedom Coalition, added.
Sen. Clint Dixon, R-Buford, the bill’s chief sponsor, said it includes provisions aimed at preventing problem gambling, including ads educating Georgians about the potential pitfalls of betting on sports and “self-limit” tools bettors could use to cap the amount they spend on bets. The bill has bipartisan backing. Senate Minority Leader Gloria Butler, D-Stone Mountain, is among its cosponsors.
The legislation now heads to the Senate Rules Committee, which will decide whether to put it before the full Senate.
Author
Related Articles
Congress weighs packaging bill with implications for Albany manufacturers
A congressional hearing this week on proposed national packaging-labeling standards could have implications for several of Southwest Georgia’s largest manufacturers, many of which produce or package products shipped across state lines.
Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office, GBI investigate inmate death
“The sheriff’s office will conduct an administrative investigation to determine if the staff response was appropriate. We have requested that the GBI conduct an investigation.”
Residents’ safety concerns defeat request to privatize Plantation Road
The Terrell County Board of Commissioners rejected a request July 7 to remove Plantation Road from the county road system after nearby residents warned that closing the roadway could leave them without emergency access when adjoining roads flood.
