Another year, another failure to pass legislation to expand gambling in the great state of Georgia. Though 2025 is only slightly more than two months old, legalized sports betting is dead yet again in the Peach State as neither of a pair of bills were able to move from one chamber of the legislature to the other on Thursday.
Known as “Crossover Day,” March 6 marked the 28th day of the year’s legislative session, the deadline for bills to pass in either the state Senate or House so they can be considered by the other. Bills that don’t “cross over” are dead until next year.
Such was the case with HB 686, which would have authorized the regulation and taxation of sports betting in the state, and HR 450, which would have put a referendum on the ballot for voters to decide upon. Public polling indicates that voters would be in favor of legalizing sports betting.
I guess people just weren’t there yet”
“It came in late and I guess people just weren’t there yet,” said House Higher Education Committee Chairman Chuck Martin.
HB 686 would have authorized up to 16 “Type 1” sports betting licenses to professional sports teams, golf courses, race tracks, the Georgia Lottery (which would oversee sports betting), and online operators who would apply via a public procurement process.
Type 1 sports betting licenses would have required a $100,000 application fee and a $1m annual licensing fee. Operators would pay a 24% tax on adjusted gross income.
Proceeds from sports betting would have been used for the same purposes as those from the state lottery, primarily to funds the HOPE Scholarship for college students and public pre-K programs.
