Sports betting remains unauthorized in Georgia. During the legislative session of 2024, several bills aimed at legalizing sports betting did not succeed, postponing any potential enactment of new legislation until at least 2025.
The quest for legalization has encountered challenges; however, many legislators are committed to establishing legal online sports betting. Additionally, there is a high demand for legalized sports wagering among Georgia residents.
Ahead of any legal changes, we’ve put together a detailed preview of what you can expect when online sports betting goes live in Georgia.
When will online sports betting be available in Georgia? There is hope that sports betting will be legalized soon, but there is still a long way to go, as the bill still needs to pass a vote on the Senate floor. When this happens, the first Georgia bookmakers will probably go live soon.
Georgia’s first attempts to legalize sports betting came in 2020. With neighboring Tennessee passing a sports betting bill in 2019, however, delays saw the bill not make any headway for a while. It still has a long way to go.
It’s not possible to bet on sports in Georgia at the moment. However, this could change soon. Based on the fact that Georgia doesn’t have any land-based casinos, all bets will (probably) be made via desktop and the best sports betting apps on the market.
The state would tax sports betting at 20%. Operators can deduct the federal excise tax from their taxable revenue but cannot deduct promotional credits. Retail licenses cost $100,000 annually. Mobile licenses come with a far heftier $1 million annual fee.
Previous sports betting bills have sought to tax operators 10% of their profits and charge a $900,000 licensing fee. These may not be the rates Georgia lawmakers settle on, but they’re likely to be somewhere around these figures.In terms of revenue potential, GA sports betting operators can look to the Volunteer State for inspiration. The Tennessee monthly sports betting handle is over $300 million. That equates to a monthly revenue of more than $20 million.
Sports betting hasn’t been legalized in Georgia. When this happens, you’ll be able to bet on football, baseball, and more.
Retail sportsbooks are unlikely in Georgia simply because there are no land-based GA casinos or racetracks. Therefore, if the likes of DraftKings go live in the state, they’ll be the lone entities that only offer online betting.
OK, so we’re looking forward to online sports betting in Georgia. We’re not sure exactly when the first apps will launch, but we’re confident one or more of these brands will go live once the market opens up:
This fantasy sports company has been making moves on the betting scene since 2018. With the help of experienced bookmakers via Flutter Entertainment, it’s created a well-rounded platform. FanDuel Sportsbook offers odds on over 15 sports, boosts, parlay insurance, live streams, and a lot more.
DraftKings Sportsbook is another fantasy sports brand that’s transitioned to betting in recent years. DraftKings offers pre-event and live betting on many different sports, including football, basketball, soccer, and rugby. DraftKings Sportsbook also has a rewards scheme known as Dynasty, pool betting, and much more.
Fox Bet online sportsbook has great offers for new customers, but there’s much more besides. Fox Bet has free picking contests where the winners get cash prizes. It also has tons of media content and tips from sports broadcasters.
BetMGM online sportsbook is strong in all areas. It also offers secure software and safe deposit methods. It has tons of promotions and covers more sports than almost any other operator. Finally, it offers live streams and statistics. Basically, whichever angle you come at it from, BetMGM is a leading US sports betting operator.
Caesars Sports is using its experience in gaming to offer a high-quality online betting service. One of its strongest assets is Caesars Rewards. This loyalty scheme is a great way to get bonus bets, comps, and exclusive gifts when you’re an active sports bettor.
Looking forward to legalized online sports wagering in Georgia? Here’s what you could expect to see at the first mobile betting platforms:
Every popular sport in Georgia will be covered by the state’s betting sites. That means you’ll find betting lines and offers for football, baseball, soccer, basketball, hockey, and many more GA sports favorites.
All online sportsbooks in Georgia will be competing for your custom. That means they’ll be constantly monitoring each other’s stats to ensure they offer competitive lines, as well as odds boosts.
Simplicity is the foundation of any top-rated online sports betting apps. Georgia’s licensed betting operators will ensure you can place bets in just a few taps via your desktop computer or mobile.
Georgia sports betting sites will aim to give you as much added value as possible. As well as the best sportsbook promos for new bettors, the online operators should offer bonus bets, loyalty rewards, parlay insurance, and second-chance bets.
Every sportsbook that’s legal in Georgia will have to offer help and support. In fact, it will be a regulatory requirement. Therefore, you’ll be able to contact a member of the customer service team via email, phone, and/or live chat.
Sports betting is a real-money activity. Therefore, Georgia’s regulated sportsbooks have to offer secure, efficient ways for you to pay. This means letting you choose from a variety of reputable betting payment methods, such as Visa, MasterCard, and PayPal.
Live streaming is a nice added extra that some sportsbooks offer, and some don’t. The good news is that brands such as BetMGM do offer live streams. Therefore, once efforts to legalize sports betting in Georgia are successful, you’ll be able to watch live events, including NFL and NBA games, for free via your computer and mobile.
The market will be littered with options when lawmakers make betting legal in Georgia. Indeed, we’ve already previewed a few brands that could make their mark in the state. All of them are fantastic, but you may prefer one over another.
The best way to learn and, in turn, compare apps, is to read our Georgia online sportsbook reviews. These guides cover an operator’s bonuses, software, betting options, customer service and more. Once you’ve got all the relevant information, you can compare our recommended online sportsbooks and join the ones that take your fancy.
Yes, there will probably be some pre-live bonuses. We can’t say which operators will offer them or what they’ll be. However, we’ve seen early-registration offers from the LA sportsbooks. Therefore, we expect to see some similar deals when legal sports betting comes to Georgia.
Big events always get some love from the oddsmakers. Therefore, if the Atlanta Hawks, the Georgia Bulldogs, or Georgia Southern Eagles et al are in action, there will be extra odds and offers available.
There are certain online sportsbooks that have loyalty schemes. Although they’re more common in the casino world, the likes of BetMGM and DraftKings do give sports bettors points when they make real-money bets. These points can be exchanged for bonus bets, exclusive gifts, and special bonuses.
Online sportsbooks will welcome new customers with open arms. From what we know about betting sites in other states, you can expect to see deals containing bonus bets, deposit matches, second-chance bets, and more.
Sports bettors in Georgia will be well catered for. All of the world’s top sports will be covered. This means you’ll get betting lines for the Atlanta Braves, the New England Patriots, Manchester City, and many more sporting greats. It’s also likely that you’ll be able to bet on college football teams in Georgia state.
Some of the sports Georgia bettors can look forward to are:
You’ll have plenty of ways to place wagers when online sportsbooks go live. The average minimum bet will be $0.01, and bookies will allow you to be as general or specific as you like. As well as pre-event bets, you’ll also be able to make live wagers while an event is in progress.
Some of the main wager types you’ll find online are:
Georgia is an unregulated Daily Fantasy Sports market. This means it’s neither legal nor illegal. Based on this fact, the likes of FanDuel DFS betting is available in the state. You won’t be breaking the law by using them, but it’s worth remembering that they are unregulated.
Pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing is illegal in Georgia. However, this could change if sports betting becomes legal in Georgia.
Georgia sports teams are present in every major US league. From football to lacrosse, the state is well represented. That’s great news for sports bettors because it means there will be plenty of local interest. We can’t go through all 19 pro and college teams. However, we can highlight three that are worth looking out for.
The Braves’ history stretches back to 1871. However, it wasn’t until 1966 that the franchise landed in Atlanta. They dominated the division throughout the nineties and into the noughties. This run included a third World Series title in 1995. The Atlanta Braves added a fourth World Series in 2021 with a win 4-2 series win over the Houston Astros.
Georgia is a football state and the Falcons fly higher than the rest. Although they’ve never won the Super Bowl, they have reached two finals, including a heartbreaking overtime loss to the New England Patriots in 2017.
The Atlanta Hawks are the NBA team based in Atlanta. The team can be traced back to when the Buffalo Bisons were established in 1946. They have won one NBA championship and have made four NBA Finals appearances.
Established in 2014, Atlanta United is Atlanta's soccer club which competes in the MLS. This team is constantly growing in popularity, setting several league records for the highest match attendances. ATL UTD is also estimated to be the second most valuable club in the MLS.
We’re all waiting for online sports betting to launch in Georgia, but there’s no value in using offshore sites. These operators aren’t regulated and, moreover, they’re not legal in Georgia. That’s the main reason not to use them. However, if you need a bit more convincing, here are a few reasons why you should always choose licensed online sports betting apps:
To find the latest MLB betting lines, NBA odds, and a whole lot more, follow the steps below:
Note: you’ll need to be 21 or older and located within the state.
Georgia will almost certainly mirror what’s on offer in Tennessee. Not only is that the closest US sports betting state, but the market is also thriving. This means you’ll need to be 21 or older and located in the state to use local sportsbooks.
Additionally, all betting is likely to take place online and there won’t be any major restrictions with regards to pro and college sports betting. The only notable restriction might be that you can’t make live prop bets on college teams as this is something you can’t do in Tennessee.
Sports betting should be fun. In fact, there’s a saying in the UK that goes like this: when the fun stops, stop. If you ever feel as though things are getting out of control, you can use a variety of responsible gambling tools. These tools are:
Not yet, but there are efforts to legalize sports betting in the State.
There aren't any mobile sports betting apps in Georgia at the moment, but there could be some once the regulation changes.
No, but you can use FanDuel's Daily Fantasy Sports app in Georgia.
DraftKings Fantasy Sports app is available in Georgia, but it doesn't offer traditional sports betting.
No, not right now. However, once Georgia passes state-wide sports betting laws, you will be able to bet in Atlanta as well as everywhere else in the state.
Gambling isn't legal in Georgia, which means the state will need to create a regulatory body to oversee sports betting.
The legal betting age in Georgia will almost certainly mirror the rest of the US. That means you'll need to be 21 or older to bet on sport.
No, not at the moment. Georgia doesn't have any land-based casinos, so sports betting is likely to be an online affair.
Updated by
Daniel SmythLast Updated: