States across the country have seen legislation fail that would allow sports betting. However, the budget crisis that has been created because of COVID-19 has revived some of these bills.
Legislators in Georgia have done just that. Because of their budget issues, they are reconsidering a dormant sports betting bill.
The Senate Special Judiciary Committee has added sports wagering onto an unrelated traffic ticket bill that passed the house this spring. HB 903 will now move to the Senate floor.
“This right here, the online betting program, is I think an answer to adding significant revenue dollars to a system (that) moving down the road will continue to need more dollars,” said Senator Burt Jones, the original sponsor of the sports betting bill. “And you’re taking an activity that is currently going on right now.”
They have structured the bill much as Tennessee did. It will be online only wagering and a 20% tax rate. There will be no limit to the amount of license administered, but they will cost $900,000.
Atlanta will be a large market to introduce sports betting into. They have estimated that Georgia will likely $60 million a year in revenue.
Support Of Pro Teams
It is a time in which professional sports teams are starting to accept gambling. The NFL now even allows sports betting platforms to partner with teams.
The Coalition of Atlanta sports professional teams have shown their support. Atlanta Hawks CEO Steve Koonin testified on Friday to push the bill through.
“During this difficult time for our professional sports teams, maintaining and building our engagement and relationship with fans is absolutely critical,” Koonin said.
If they were to eventually partner with someone like FanDuel, they would be able to market betting inside their arena.
The bill initially died after Jones introduced it during the legislative session. But the coronavirus has created issues that need to be solved. States must find other sorts of revenue that will close the gap in budgets, and for many of them, sports betting is a likely answer.
There are hopes that, because of the situation, many legislators have had a change of heart. Georgia has been one of the first states to re-open after the social distancing guidelines.
“This is exactly the time to legalize sports wagering in Georgia,” Jen Jordan, Senate Chair of Special Judiciary, said in a statement. “Whether its fantasy football leagues or tournament brackets, Georgians are currently wagering in an illegal market without protections. We need to bring it into the light where it can be transparent and regulated.”
Not only is it not regulated, but the state doesn’t profit at all. She also mentioned the cuts that Georgia has received to the education system, which needs a boost of revenue.
Regulating sports betting can also save the integrity of the game. Koonin discussed the engagement that the fans can have while taking it out of the illegal market.
Georgia will be faced with legislators who believe this would only create bad habits and crime. Some of these folks will have to switch sides.
