Another sports activities playing invoice is advancing in Georgia, with supporters saying they imagine they’ll legally arrange betting beneath the purview of the Georgia Lottery Corporation with out placing the difficulty to a statewide vote by a constitutional modification.

The Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee voted 8-2 Tuesday to advance Senate Bill 386, which might create 16 sports activities betting licenses. The measure strikes to the Senate for extra debate, though its prospects stay unclear after efforts to legalize playing faltered once again in 2023.

“We believe this bill has brought a win for Georgia,” mentioned Nick Fernandez of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, which helps the plan together with Atlanta’s professional sports activities groups.

Nationwide, 38 states enable sports activities betting, Some states enable solely in-person bets, though most allow electronic betting from wherever.

The lure of the invoice is that it could solely require a majority vote of each chambers after which the signature of Gov. Brian Kemp. A constitutional modification would wish two-thirds of each the House and Senate earlier than it may go to voters for approval in a statewide referendum.

At least for now, the measure has backing from some Democrats. That’s key as a result of some Republicans morally oppose playing. However, Democrats have withheld their votes in different years, in search of to discount over different points.

Republican Sen. Clint Dixon of Buford argued that the measure is appropriate as a result of tax proceeds can be spent on prekindergarten lessons and HOPE Scholarships for college kids who obtain a minimum of a “B” common in highschool, the makes use of mandated when voters amended the structure to permit a lottery in 1992.

“There is no constitutional amendment required because all the funds are going to the lottery to fund pre-K and HOPE,” Dixon mentioned.

But opponents warn the measure may very well be declared unconstitutional, arguing voters would have by no means believed in 1992 that they have been authorizing sports activities betting, then allowed solely in particular person at Nevada casinos.

“I don’t believe this end-around is going to work,” mentioned Mike Griffin, who lobbies for Georgia’s Southern Baptist church buildings.

A distinct Senate committee earlier this session passed a bill that may require a constitutional modification, however there’s been no additional motion on that measure. Those measures are backed by those that want to see casinos and betting on horse racing in Georgia, in addition to these would want to spend sports activities betting taxes on different functions.

An effort to go a constitutional modification flopped final 12 months when it gained 30 votes, a majority of senators however in need of the 38 wanted. Senators in 2023 also rejected a bill that may have licensed sports activities betting and betting on horse races and not using a constitutional modification.

The invoice that superior Tuesday would take 20% of proceeds, after prizes are paid to gamblers, as taxes. Nationwide, tax charges are set at wherever from 6.75% in Iowa to 51% in Rhode Island and New York.

The measure would give one license on to the Georgia Lottery. Another eight licenses can be given to professional sports activities pursuits in Georgia, together with MLB’s Atlanta Braves, the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream, Major League Soccer’s Atlanta United. Other licenses would go to NASCAR’s Atlanta Motor Speedway, and golf’s Augusta National and PGA.

The lottery can be in command of distributing seven different licenses with out ties to professional sports activities groups. Those licenses would require a $100,000 software price and an annual license price of $1 million.

While supporters mentioned they believed sports activities betting would convey financial advantages, opponents dismissed these claims, saying it’s a gateway to habit and that bettors as an entire will at all times lose cash.

“Gambling is basically legalized fraud,” Griffin mentioned. “Gambling is gambling. You can’t win. The industry can’t lose.”