Sports betting legalization bill tabled in Georgia

Sports Betting

Georgians could get a chance in November to vote on authorizing sports gambling after senators on Tuesday approved a state constitutional amendment.

It’s a big step forward for those who want Georgians to be able to bet on pro and college sports after years of being stymied in the Senate. But the measure still has a long way to go, and would require two-thirds approval in the state House before it would go to the ballot.

The Senate voted 41-12 for Senate Resolution 579. It would designate 80% of taxes from sports betting to prekindergarten programs, and then to college scholarships once prekindergarten programs are fully funded. Another 15% of proceeds would go to aiding people with gambling problems, while the remaining 5% would create a fund for Georgia to recruit and fund major sports events.

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