Georgia Betting Sites: Restrictions, Red Tape, and Future Potential

If you’ve kept up to date with the latest in online sports betting expansion sweeping the USA, you might be wondering how this has impacted the state of Georgia. While there is currently no legal Georgia sports betting or sports betting sites, players will find out about the future of Georgia online sports betting on this page.

In the sections to come, we’ll divulge all the essential information readers need to know about present Georgia betting laws, what Georgia betting sites might look like, including the most probable pre-existing betting sites and operators likely to produce the best betting sites in Georgia.

We’ve also provided readers with nearby alternative betting options, so be sure to read on.

If you’re a resident of Georgia and a fan of betting activities, it may come as no shock that there are some heavy restrictions on land-based and Georgia online sports betting in the state. There are also no card rooms or legal poker, however there are some legal Georgia betting sites for casino gaming, and there is legal bingo, state lottery and charity raffles in the state.

Is Daily Fantasy Sports Betting Legal in Georgia?

While there are several states which have harsher laws surrounding real sports betting and casino gaming, oftentimes players will find that these states make an exception to Daily Fantasy Sports betting. This is not always the case, and Daily Fantasy Sports is not technically legal in Georgia currently.

However, Daily Fantasy Sports or DFS is somewhat tolerated by Georgia lawmakers in the state. This is because there is technically no legislation outlawing Daily Fantasy Sports betting in the state. However, this also means that there are no guarantees of safety regulations in the state, so players are advised to be wary of any site advertising as a Georgia sports betting app.

Are there Any Legal Offshore Sites for Georgia Players?

When it comes to the laws surrounding all forms of offshore betting, rules and regulations are often murky. As such, players will find that while these sites are accessible from within Georgia, there are no laws permitting offshore Georgia sports betting sites, so players can’t consider these legal.

This means that as is the case with Daily Fantasy Sports betting in the site, your information and finances won’t necessarily be safe with these sites in Georgia, and there are no guarantees of fair payouts or safety even with popular sites like BetOnline, Bovada and MyBookie. Players are advised to exercise caution and never bet with unlicensed sites.

Are there Georgia Land-based Casinos?

One of the most restrictive of all states in terms of gambling law, Georgia is unfortunately one of the only states in the USA which does not even permit the presence of Indian gaming casinos. As such, there are also technically no land-based casinos in Georgia for sports betting or otherwise.

However, thankfully there is one notable exception to this rule. Players will discover that there is in fact one casino in Georgia – just not on land. The Emerald Princess Casino is a cruise ship in Georgia which provides many popular forms of gambling, such as slots gaming, blackjack, poker, roulette and craps, however there is no sports betting provided.

Is there Racetrack Betting in Georgia?

Georgia does allow legal competitive horse racing and is home to two annual horse racing events, however there is currently no legal racetrack betting in Georgia at the time of writing. There has been a strong push to introduce this in the state from lobby groups, and the economic pressure to do so may tip the scale soon enough.

Nearest States to Georgia with Legal Sports Betting

As you may have gathered from prior info on this page, there are some extreme limitations surrounding legal Georgia sports betting. Thankfully, players will find that there are several fantastic alternatives nearby Georgia which make it very easy to play legally. Here, we’ll provide some nearby states with legal sports betting in lieu of Georgia online sportsbooks.

Players can find that there are options for sports betting, casino gaming and even online betting in each of the provided adjacent betting states to Georgia. This means that users can legally skip town and cross the border in order to access any of these states which offer fully-legal and legitimate sports betting options to players of legal gambling age.

Those who are already familiar with states which provide sports betting in the USA may recognise a few defining elements of a state which provides legal sports betting. For both land-based Georgia sportsbooks and Georgia sports betting app options, players will need to expect to see full licensing from any legitimate bookmakers.

Georgia betting sites will need to present licenses clearly on the site, in addition to details about and links to relevant gambling boards and regulators. These administrative bodies ensure fair payouts and legitimate gaming, making certain that users can expect a legitimate payout for a legitimate win, and ensuring that your personal data is safe on these sites.

The best betting sites in Georgia will also need to provide information and assistance to users regarding problem gambling. It’s too early to say exactly what betting options players could expect in Georgia. However, it’s fairly likely that users will be able to place wagers on interstate leagues such as the NFL, NVBA, and Georgia MLB team the Atlanta Braves, plus the likes of local sporting leagues.

What are the Current Georgia Gambling Laws?

Betting Type Law
Sports Betting Not Legal
Online Sports Betting Not Legal
Land-based Casino Not Legal
Online Casino Not Legal
Poker Not Legal
Racetrack Betting Not Legal
Georgia Gambling Age 21+, 18+ for Lotto, Bingo, and Charity Raffles

Players who are interested in getting involved in gambling in Georgia will know that the state features some of the most restrictive and limiting gambling laws in the country. If you’ve tried to place a bet in the state before, you’ll know that the state does not permit either Georgia sports betting or casino gambling.

This means that there are not many options for players in the state who are looking to gamble on sports. Players in Georgia cannot legally place bets on sports, either online or at land-based Georgia sportsbooks, nor can they place bets at casinos or race tracks.

As you can expect, there are also no licensed Georgia betting sites. As mentioned earlier in this article, there is one major exception to the rule in Georgia, which is the one technically casino in the state – the water-based Emerald Princess Casino ship, allowing bettors over 21 to play casino games. .

Gambling in Georgia is regulated by The Commercial Gambling Unit. Compared to other states across the USA, Georgia is known for being one of the most restrictive in terms of gambling law. As can be seen in this table, there are no provisions for players to be able to place bets of any kind other than legal state lottery, bingo and charity raffle betting in Georgia.

However, this may not always be the situation for players in the state of Georgia. Punters can expect to see continued pushback against restrictions on gambling in the state, and there have already been several attempts which have gotten quite close. Read on to learn more about gambling history in Georgia.

History of Sports Betting and Gambling in the State of Georgia

As is the situation with many states in the USA, there is a long and complicated history surrounding gambling laws in Georgia. There has long been a strong push against legal gaming in the state of Georgia, with many lawmakers taking a conservative approach to developments in the gaming industry.

Georgia was one of the earliest states to prohibit the use of even lotteries, outlawing Louisiana lottery tickets in the state as early as 1878. Thankfully this has eased up somewhat since then, with Georgia amending its constitutional law to allow not-for-profit bingo gambling in the state.

History of Sports Betting in Georgia
  • Lawmakers Push Sports Betting Back Again Though yet another bill reached a legislative session in 2022, players will unfortunately find that the bill failed to pass. There is still a committed effort being made to reintroduce the bill at the nearest opportunity.
  • Bills Pass Legislation to the House There were several bills awaiting introduction to the House in Georgia which were finally seen to in 2021. The premise involved a 20% tax on all gaming revenue, plus $1,000,000 licensing fees, all of which proposed to fund state education.
  • Georgia Lottery Established Following decades of attempts, the Georgia lottery officially received licence to begin as of 1992. This was a landmark decision in the history of betting in Georgia, playing a significant role in opening up the conversation for future expansion.
  • Constitutional Amendment Allowing Bingo Not-for-profit bingo organisations were allowed to sell bingo tickets in the state of Georgia legally in 1976. There is typically a $3,000 cap on bingo payouts across all licensed bingo platforms in the state.
  • Illegal Gambling Rises in Georgia Atlanta saw an influx of illegal gambling throughout the prohibition era, with numbers gambling known as ‘The Bug’ in the state of Georgia. This led to a steep rise in gambling-related crime in the area.
  • Louisiana Lottery Tickets Outlawed In 1878, lawmakers in the state of Georgia voted against the continued sale of Louisiana lottery tickets in Georgia. This decision paved the way for the continued oppression of gamers in the state of Georgia for decades to come.

Further in the history of Georgia gambling, players were again permitted to gamble on the state lottery with a 1992 constitutional amendment. Unfortunately however, that’s essentially where things seem to end for the state, with no major amendments to state constitution surrounding gambling since. As such, there is still no land-based or online sports betting allowed in Georgia. While some state that the conservative legislature of Georgia makes it unlikely to see many further developments in the online world of gaming, there are many who are more optimistic that we will start to see gambling websites in Georgia.

What Might the Future of Sports Betting in Georgia Hold?

When it comes to the future of sports betting in Georgia, there is significant effort beign made to see the introduction of more gaming permissions. While there is no way of knowing exactly what the future may hold for Georgia players, there is certainly no evidence that the push for Georgia sports betting is slowing down.

The next opportunity for Georgia to pass a sports betting bill is 2023. This means that players could see online sports betting apps introduced as early as 2024. Lawmakers have made this difficult, requiring a two-thirds vote as opposed to a majority. However, many are optimistic about what the future may old. In the meantime, only players from legal sports betting states will be able to place sports bets.

We’ll be sure to fill you in on the best betting sites Georgia has to offer as soon as they arrive.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you’ve been through all of the information on this page, you’ll already know the essentials of Georgia gaming law. However, players who are looking to learn more and brush up on the details are encouraged to read the following answers to frequently asked questions about sports gaming in the state.

⚖️ Is online gambling and sports betting legal in Georgia?

No, there is no legal sports betting in Georgia, and there are several constitutional laws that make it difficult for this to change. Players will have to visit neighbouring states to participate in these bets. We recommend reading our page on Georgia sports gambling to learn more. We'll have all the information on the best betting sites in Georgia when they arrive.

🛡️ What is the Georgia legal gambling age?

The legal age for gambling in Georga is 21 and up. However, as gambling is heavily restricted in the state, this essentially just applies to casino gaming on riverboat casinos. There are several smaller betting categories like lotteries and bingo which allow players over 18 to bet. Check out more about Georgai gaming law at our section on gambling law.

🚨 Can I Trust sites like MyBookie to be Bovada Legal and Safe?

Players should always seriously consider the licensing and registration of all services before betting. As offshore sportsbooks and other gaming sites are not licensed for betting in Georgia, you cannot technically trust them to protect your information and guarantee a legitimate bet. You can find information about safe sites here.

🔎 Can I play at a Georgia online sportsbook if I am not in the state?

As there are no Georgia online sportsbooks at the moment, players can naturally not play at them from other states. As is the case with most states, you also cannot place bets with apps from other states while inside Georgia. Visit our page on neighbouring gaming states to check out some alternative options which are available to you.