Guide to Georgia Betting: Where are the Best Georgia Sports Betting sites?

Georgia is currently one of the least gambling-friendly states in the United State, meaning that unfortunately, sports betting is illegal in Georgia. For this reason, we are unable to recommend any Georgia sports betting sites, so we’ve instead dedicated this guide to discussing the current gambling options available in the state and whether the prospects for future sports wagering looks bright.

Thankfully, there are a few other betting options available for Georgians. These include daily fantasy sports betting, bingo, and the lottery. While some might be tempted to sign up for illegal offshore betting sites, we recommend against this as they are unlicensed and unsafe. Until we can recommend the best Georgia online sportsbooks that are legal, Georgians will need to wait for the law changes to bet on sports.

Current Georgia Sports Betting Situation

Given Georgia’s history with blocking most forms of expanded gambling initiatives, it would be easy to think that legalized sports betting in Georgia would be unrealistic. However, a bill filed in early 2020 by a Republican State Senator looks to do exactly this, with the current plan looking to authorize the Georgia Lottery to offer online sports betting.

Senate bill 403 has been based on the legislation that was passed in neighbor state, Tennessee. It currently sets a tax rate of 10% for sports betting wagers, though other lawmakers are looking into increasing the rate up to 25%. This is a controversial topic that is supported and opposed by different interests. Surprisingly, the bill is backed by local major sports league teams like the Atlanta Braves, the Atlanta Hawks, and the Atlanta Falcons.

This support is an important factor that could go a long way toward convincing the powerful anti-gambling lawmakers in the state to change their tune. For the time being, it’s not uncommon for Georgians to access offshore betting sites to place their bets, but we strongly advise against this. These are not legitimate Georgia sports betting sites but rather are illegally accepting players from an unlawful jurisdiction. It will take the passage of new laws before we see any legal GA sportsbook sites.

Are Georgia Daily Fantasy Sports Apps Available?

The closest thing to legal Georgia online bookies are DraftKings and FanDuel, who are legally able to operate in the state. While many in other states will know both companies as reputable sportsbook operators, they only offer their daily fantasy sports (DFS) app to contestants in Georgia.

DFS is different from traditional sports betting as it asks contestants to form a fantasy team of players from a major sports league and bet on their potential real-life performances for each round. As a certain degree of knowledge and research is required in order to be successful, Georgia’s lawmakers agreed that DFS is different from games of chance that characterize gambling.

Sports leagues that are available to Georgian daily fantasy sports bettors include everything from the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB. Bettors can even draft from collegiate division teams! If the current sports betting bill is passed in Georgia, we expect that DraftKings and FanDuel won’t be among the best Georgia online sportsbooks available unless the lottery recruits either to run their operations.

Georgia Online Casinos

Georgia’s laws are very strict when it comes to casino gambling, so there’s nothing legal to recommend in the way of Georgia online gambling sites. Unlike many states, there isn’t even a carve-out to allow for tribal casinos to operate, so no legal real money casino wagering is available in Georgia.

If players can look past the fact that they can’t play casino games for cash, then there’s nothing stopping them from playing social free-to-play casino games. These games, such as poker or blackjack, are available to play for free at a number of websites. This can be a great way for locals to practice casino games, using play money before traveling to a legal state to bet or until there are legal Georgia online bookies.

Online State Lottery in Georgia

One of the few legal betting options available to Georgians is the state lottery. Run by the Georgia Lottery Corporation, the lottery offers everything from huge national draw games to scratch tickets. Better yet, players are able to buy tickets online and through a dedicated mobile app!

Having operated for nearly three decades, the Georgia Lottery has raised over $20 billion to fund state programs. It makes sense, then, why lawmakers would want a trusted authority such as this to operate a mobile sports betting option, although some are concerned that sports betting could reduce the profitability of the Georgia Lottery.

Off Track Horse Betting in Georgia

Although pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing is not legal in Georgia, there have been major legislative strides in recent years that seek to change this. In 2019, a bill passed a Senate committee that seeks to establish three racetracks in Georgia. Though the bill was stalled in 2020, it hasn’t yet failed.

A recent study into the economic viability of horse racing in Georgia found that one race track could create thousands of jobs and have an economic impact of over $3 billion per year. There is no word yet on whether the bill would allow for online wagering, but it is clear that lawmakers in Georgia are finally opening up the benefits of gambling for the state’s economy.

What Would Legal Sportsbooks in Georgia Look Like?

As far as the current legislation is looking, it appears that lawmakers wish to recreate the success of neighbor state Tennessee and its legalization of sports betting. This is evidenced by much of the current bill being based on Tennessee’s successful bill, which was one of the first to legalize sports betting and one of only a handful that allows for mobile sports wagering.

We believe that legalized sports betting would be beneficial for Georgia, especially if mobile wagering is allowed. Even if the Georgia Lottery is the only Georgia sports betting site available, we expect that it will be embraced by locals enough to create a billion-dollar market.

If online sports betting is legalized, it could pace the way for more great online betting sites to appear in the state. It’s likely that once this is done, locals will be able to bet on all major sports leagues which is great considering the high number of major league teams located in Georgia.

Another important factor to consider in the legalization of Georgia sports betting sites is that a government body will regulate the market, including everything from taxation to fairness. This will ensure that bettors have the best shot at winning, and if anything illegal happens, players will be protected by the law.

Final Thoughts

Although there are a few major hurdles that need to be addressed, we believe that the future looks bright for Georgia sports betting. A legalization bill may not pass under the current governor, but we believe that once Tennessee launches its mobile sportsbooks and proves popular, Georgia will have little choice but to follow.

For the time being, Georgians have two online gambling options in the form of daily fantasy sports and the lottery. DFS is perhaps the closest thing to legal sports betting in the state and is a great way to get players into the habit of researching players and teams to make the best bets on sports games.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you still have questions about when the best Georgia online sportsbooks will be available, or about the state’s other gambling options? Below, we’ve answered common questions about Georgia’s gambling market so that you can be sure that you’re making the safest, fairest bets in the state.