Online Gambling Georgia
- Can You Bet Online In Georgia
- Online Gambling In Georgia
- Online Casino Georgia
- Online Gambling Regulation Georgia
- Georgia Gambling Laws
- Georgia Online Gambling Law
Safest Online Sports Betting Sites in Georgia Georgia has never been known as a gambling destination. It’s a shame, because this state has one of the largest and most passionate sports fan bases in the country. Today, our team is going to explain how you can find the best Georgia sports betting. Georgia is currently the eighth-most populated state in the country, so the gambling market is potentially significant. Lottery is the only significant form of legal gambling in the state Georgia, however, has historically been one of the most conservative states when it comes to gambling.
In much of the US, online gambling legislation is starting to take off. Still, Georgia remains one of the nation’s most restrictive states for gamblers.
At the moment, Georgia prohibits all forms of commercial gambling. This includes Georgia online casinos and sportsbooks.
According to the Georgia attorney general, even daily fantasy sports qualify as gambling. However, things are changing in the state, and Georgia sportsbooks may soon be legal.
Contents
Most Likely Georgia Online Casinos
If the state moves to legalize Georgia online casinos and online sportsbooks, many operators will join the market. The best online casinos are looking to expand everywhere in the US where gambling is legal.
The following are the likeliest candidates to establish Georgia sportsbooks and casinos.
BetMGM Casino
The MGM Resorts International corporation has been operating casinos since 1973, when it opened the MGM Grand. Since then, they’ve grown to own and operate dozens of casinos and resorts across the world.
BetMGM is the most recent of the company’s online sportsbooks platforms. BetMGM offers users online casino and sportsbook services. BetMGM’s website is compatible with both desktop and mobile devices. There’s also mobile apps available for Android and iOS.
BetMGM is currently offering its services in three US states: Nevada, West Virginia, and New Jersey. The brand is rapidly expanding to states that legalize online gambling. Should Georgia legalize online gambling, BetMGM may be one of the first Georgia sportsbooks.
DraftKings Casino
DraftKings is the largest daily fantasy sports provider in the United States. The operator has also launched relatively recent online sportsbooks in three states: New Jersey, Indiana and West Virginia. DraftKings also has retail sports betting operations in several other states.
The DraftKings Sportsbook offers betting markets in the MLB, NHL, NFL, NBA, PGA, Premier League, and UEFA Champions League. It also covers the CFL, NASCAR motor sports, the XFL, and even MMA bouts.
More importantly for Georgia online casinos, DraftKings is available in every US state where DFS aren’t explicitly illegal. It has built a significant presence in Georgia. DraftKings is poised to be among the first Georgia sportsbooks, if the state legalizes sports betting.
FOX Bet Casino
FOX Bet is an innovative co-branded sports betting platform, first introduced in 2019. FOX Bet is a joint partnership between media giant FOX Broadcasting and The Stars Group. The Stars Group is the newest iteration of the PokerStars company.
The Stars Group sought to capitalize on the new legal sports betting markets in the US. They established a first-of-its-kind in America co-branding agreement with FOX. FOX Bet now offers betting markets for NFL, NBA, MLB, PGA, NHL, MLS, UCL, AFP, UFC, and NCAA games.
FOX Bet is currently legal only in two US states: New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It’s extremely likely that FOX Bet will seek to expand its brand to other US states that legalize sports betting. If Georgia joins their ranks, FOX Bet is quite likely to seek growth in the Peach State.
Georgia Casino Laws
Under present law, Georgia online casinos are strictly illegal. The same goes for land-based casinos, and even tribal casinos. All forms of commercial gambling are strictly illegal in the state of Georgia.
The Georgia State Code defines gambling in a very broad fashion. All forms of betting on the results of games or contests, including card, dice and ball games, are considered gambling.
Horse and greyhound betting is also prohibited, as is maintaining a casino establishment or machines. The only forms of betting legal in Georgia are charity raffles and the Georgia State Lottery.
Many US states technically ban all forms of online sports betting, but don’t enforce this law in certain cases. Daily fantasy sports expanded through the US operating in a gray area. Some states choose to interpret them as games of skill, not chance.
This allows legal classification that circumvents gambling laws in many cases. While several DFS providers operate in the state of Georgia, the attorney general published an informal letter on the matter. In his opinion, DFS are a form of gambling, and illegal in GA.
Can You Bet Online In Georgia
DFS operators continue to operate in the state, perhaps testing the limits of the AG’s willingness to enforce the law. Still, it isn’t a great sign for potential Georgia online casinos.
Future Casino Legislation in Georgia
The legality of gambling may soon be changing in the Peach State. There is a lot of interest in the state regarding legalized online betting. Major stakeholders and prominent politicians have expressed their support.
Even Gov. Kemp, who rejected legal gambling during his 2018 campaign, has softened his stance. He’s recently stated that he won’t block a gambling bill sent to his desk. It’s now up to the two chambers of the Georgia legislature to figure things out.There are already some proposals on the docket. The Georgia House of Representatives introduced a bill in early 2019, HR 380, that would legalize sports betting in the state. Sports betting would be regulated by the State Lottery, with part of the revenues going to education.
Reps. Gordon, Carpenter, Mitchell, among others, introduced HR 380 the House. More recently, in late February 2020, Sens. Jones, Beach, Harbison and Lucas filed another bill in the State Senate. The bill would also legalize sports betting under the purview of the Georgia State Lottery.
Revenue allocation would also go to education, specifically through the HOPE scholarship program. It’s unclear how these two bills will play out in their corresponding legislative chambers. The House of Representatives has expressed interest in the growing market.
State Senate leadership, however, has been somewhat critical of legislation that would legalize Georgia online casinos and sportsbooks. In the meantime, the best online casinos sit on the sidelines, waiting for the opportunity to enter the Georgia market.
It’s worth noting that while both these bills intend to regulate sports betting, online casino games are not included. Legislative committees have recently studied legalizing horse race betting and commercial gambling as well. This would require a cumbersome constitutional amendment.
That’s why many stakeholders in the sports industry want sports betting to be considered individually. A bill regulating sports wagering as a lottery game is easier to pass. Many state politicians would prefer state residents to vote on the final fate of gambling in Georgia, though.
Casino Games Available
If Georgia amends the State Code to make gambling legal, the best online casinos will offer many games in the state. The following list is a summary of the most popular casino games and their present availability in Georgia.
Slots
Slot machine games are one of the most popular offers at both land-based and online casinos. There are thousands of different slot machines available, with countless themes and special features.
Slot machines featured mechanical or digital spinning reels of symbols. along an axis. Players spin the wheels, and when they stop, identical symbols aligned along certain paylines pay out cash prizes.
Class I (tribal), II (bingo), and III (slot) gaming machines are all currently illegal in Georgia. No land-based or online slot machine providers may operate in the state.
Table and Card Games
Table and card games are another staple of casinos around the planet. They include some of the most iconic casino games of all time, like the world-famous roulette.
Any Georgia online casinos would have a diversity of table games, such as craps or roulette, and card games, such as Caribbean stud, blackjack, or baccarat. Online casinos often offer both video gaming and live dealer versions of these games.
At the moment, Georgia law prohibits all forms of commercial gambling. The law specifically bans betting on the outcome of games played with cards, balls, or dice. This makes casino games like roulette, craps, or blackjack, strictly illegal in the state.
Poker Options
Modern Georgia online casinos would likely have a range of poker options available. Popular poker options in online casinos include live poker rooms and video poker game machines.
Live poker rooms feature many tournaments and open tables, filled with other real players to face off. Several kinds of poker are commonly available, including Texas Hold’em, Omaha Hold’em, and Seven Card Stud.
Video poker game machines usually feature many creative variations of traditional 2, 5 or 7 card draw poker games. Many incorporate progressive jackpot features, much like some online slots. Georgia state law prohibits betting on card games, which makes poker currently illegal.
Georgia Casino Apps
At the moment, no Georgia online casinos exist, so Georgia casino apps are out of the question. In the entire state, there is a single casino establishment, the Emerald Princess Casino. It’s located on a boat off of Brunswick, GA, and sails into international waters to gamble legally.
Present state law prevents the Emerald Princess, or any would-be Georgia online casinos, from creating mobile gambling apps. Until the law changes, the only kind of casino play available in Georgia is the Emerald Princess Casino.
Online Gambling In Georgia
Current bills on the floor of the state legislature only comprise online sports betting. Further legislation would be necessary to legalize Georgia online casinos.
Georgia Online Sportsbooks
Many US states now have legal sports betting sites, often the same sites that provided DFS. Much like with Georgia online casinos, though, online sportsbooks are currently illegal through the state.
Online Casino Georgia
All the major DFS providers offer their services in the state of Georgia, and they offer mobile apps as well. They do not offer sports betting or casino play in Georgia, though, and that’s probably not going to change any time soon.
Given the negative stance of the attorney general on DFS as gambling, they’re unlikely to complicate the situation further. Still, things are changing in Georgia. With two bills that could legalize sports betting, the first Georgia online casinos and sportsbooks may be on the horizon.
Final Thoughts on Casino Gambling in Georgia
Online Gambling Regulation Georgia
Gambling in Georgia has never been easy, and through most of its history, it’s been downright illegal. Few exceptions exist to this day, and Georgia gamblers only have the State Lottery, charity raffles, and DFS.
That situation is rapidly evolving. In 2020, two different bills sit on the docket of the Georgia legislature. Both the Senate Bill and the House Resolution would legalize online and mobile sports betting.
Georgia Gambling Laws
While this move wouldn’t legalize Georgia online casinos, it would certainly change the conversation in the state. Going forward, positive online sportsbooks experiences in the state could help legislators consider further gambling legalization.
Georgia Online Gambling Law
Legalizing online casinos in Georgia will be an uphill battle. They would likely require an amendment to the Georgia State Code, which needs a ballot vote for public ratification. All things considered, online casinos in the state of Georgia are still far off into the future.