{"id":166296,"date":"2021-03-04T13:27:39","date_gmt":"2021-03-04T21:27:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/?p=166296"},"modified":"2021-03-04T16:04:37","modified_gmt":"2021-03-05T00:04:37","slug":"deadline-looms-for-gambling-bills-at-georgia-legislature","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/deadline-looms-for-gambling-bills-at-georgia-legislature\/","title":{"rendered":"Deadline Looms for Gambling Bills at Georgia Legislature"},"content":{"rendered":"

With mobile sports betting bills in the balance, a pass-or-fail deadline is looming at the Georgia Legislature.<\/p>\n

\"Jeff
State Sen. Jeff Mullis (R) gestures during a 2019 legislative hearing. Mullis has sponsored legislation to allow sports betting in Georgia. (Image: Atlanta Journal-Constitution<\/em>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bills to allow mobile sports betting in the state are up for consideration in the Georgia House and Senate at the Capitol in Atlanta. The Legislature also is considering bills to permit commercial casinos and horse tracks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, March 8 is crossover day, the deadline for bills to pass in their original chamber or die for the year. Bills can be brought back after crossover day, though failure to pass in the original chamber by that date signals a lack of support.<\/p>\n

The House mobile sports betting bill<\/a>, by Rep. Ron Stephens (R), would tax sports betting revenue at 20 percent. A Senate version would set the tax rate at 10 percent. Revenue from both would benefit education programs.<\/p>\n

The Senate bill, by Sen. Jeff Mullis (R), would prohibit bettors from depositing more than $2,500 a month in their online account. The intent is to keep problem gamblers from going deep into debt. This provision was lifted from Tennessee\u2019s online betting program. Mullis is from Chickamauga, near Chattanooga, Tenn. Mobile sports betting became legal in Tennessee in November.<\/p>\n

The Senate bill is being paired with a proposal to amend the state constitution to allow sports betting. Some believe the constitutional amendment is necessary. An amendment requires a two-thirds vote in each legislative chamber and public approval during a statewide election.<\/p>\n

Others think sports betting legislation only would need a majority vote in each chamber and the governor\u2019s signature to become law. Those who support this model say sports betting won\u2019t require a constitutional amendment, since it would be run by the Georgia Lottery Corp. The constitution was amended to allow the lottery in 1992. The Senate bill refers to sports betting as a \u201clottery game.\u201d Casinos and pari-mutual betting are constitutionally prohibited in the state.<\/p>\n

Horse Track Bill Under Consideration<\/h2>\n

In addition to sports betting legislation, Stephens has introduced a bill that would allow horse racing in the state.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Similar efforts have failed in previous legislative sessions. Stephens named this bill the Harry Geisinger Rural Jobs and Growth Act, according to the Georgia Recorder<\/i>. This is a reference to a state lawmaker who supported horse racing measures in the past.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

At a House committee hearing, Stephens said racetracks would benefit Georgia farmers whose fields were damaged in a 2018 hurricane, the Georgia Recorder<\/i> reported.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cIt allows them to get into the industry on the low-end, and then move up, depending on how they purchase and sell horses, so it\u2019s an additional industry,\u201d he said. \u201cIt reminds me of somebody that, the wind comes down and blows down their corn farm. Well, they\u2019ve got chickens and hogs as backup.\u201d<\/p>\n

Casino Measure Stalls<\/h2>\n

Stephens\u2019 horse racing bill would require a constitutional amendment and public approval in an election. Under the bill, three horse tracks would be allowed in the state. Other types of gambling, including casino gaming, would not be allowed at the track.<\/p>\n

\n

Stephens also has introduced a bill to permit commercial casinos in Georgia<\/a>. It also would require a constitutional amendment. The Georgia General Assembly website indicates the casino bill has been stuck in a House committee since Feb. 16.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

According to the Associated Press, it is unclear whether the casino and horse racing bills \u201cwill gain any traction\u201d this year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With mobile sports betting bills in the balance, a pass-or-fail deadline is looming at the Georgia Legislature. Bills to allow mobile sports betting in the state are up for consideration in the Georgia House and Senate at the Capitol in Atlanta. The Legislature also is considering bills to permit commercial casinos and horse tracks.\u00a0 However, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":55,"featured_media":166298,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,1074],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nDeadline Looms for Gambling Bills at Georgia Legislature - Casino.org Deadline Looms for Gambling Bills at Georgia Legislature<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"With mobile sports betting bills in the balance, a pass-or-fail deadline is looming at the Georgia Legislature. Bills to allow mobile sports betting in Bills to allow sports betting, horse racing, and casino gambling in Georgia face a March 8 deadline for passage for failure.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Deadline Looms for Gambling Bills at Georgia Legislature - Casino.org Deadline Looms for Gambling Bills at Georgia Legislature\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"With mobile sports betting bills in the balance, a pass-or-fail deadline is looming at the Georgia Legislature. 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