James January-February 2025 web - Flipbook - Page 31
ouse District 121
State Rep. Marcus
Wiedower, R-Watkinsville, is hoping
that 2025 is the year Georgia approves sports betting after several
unsuccessful attempts. He is the
House of Representatives proponent
for two bills— Senate Resolution 579
and Senate Bill 386— that, if passed,
would legalize sports betting in the
state. Bipartisan groups of six senators are co-sponsoring SR 579, and
12 are co-sponsoring SB 386.
“Whether people like it or not,
people are using offshore betting
[accounts] or using other gambling
methods,” he said. “The benefit
of passing the legislation is to the
Georgians taking it are not protected in any way, shape or form. There
are no safeguards to protect them.
The states that have passed similar
bills are reaping that reward.
According to the American
Gaming Commission, 39 states
allow sports betting. In November,
Missouri residents voted yes by a
slim margin, with 50.07 percent for
it, according to an Axios article.
In February, the Georgia Senate
approved SR 579— a state constitutional amendment for sports betting— but it was never put up for a
vote in the House. SB 386 failed in
two Senate votes in February and
never advanced to the House. Getting SR 579 approved is challenging
because it is a constitutional amend-
ment, meaning it requires two-thirds
of each chamber’s vote for approval
instead of just a majority vote.
“When you have these different
groups, you can’t get the 66 and
two-thirds percent vote,” Wiedower said. “I think they were looking
for a better likelihood of it passing. Until they felt there was more
cohesiveness, they wouldn’t feel it
should go up for a vote.”
In 2024, the bills failed because legislators couldn’t decide
on how to spend the tax revenue
that comes with them. By the way,
Wiedower says that sports betting
is expected to bring $400 million in
annual tax revenue to Georgia.
“I think it’s one of those topics
where most people don’t have a
black or white issue with it,” he
said. “You have a handful of facets.
You either have people who think
betting shouldn’t exist at all or you
think people have casinos, so sports
betting shouldn’t pass without the
existence of casinos, and then you
have people who argue over where
the taxes are spent.”
Wiedower said he’s confident
the bills will be approved in 2025.
“I think that like a lot of pieces of
legislation, it takes some education
for some people,” he said. “One thing
I would point to is there was a question on the Republican primary ballot if people wanted to see it come
to a vote, and they overwhelmingly
said yes. That’s certainly an indicator
for the voters to decide. That’s all
this has ever been, an opportunity
for voters to vote on it.”
If the bills are approved during
the 2025 legislative session, which
starts Jan. 13, sports betting could
be voted on in a statewide referendum as early as November 2026.
And if it is approved, the state
will offer three different types of
licenses: one under the Georgia
Lottery Corp. (the Lottery oversees
the bills), plus tethered licenses
for state-based businesses such
as the Braves and Falcons and
the Masters golf tournament and
untethered ones that would go to
sports betting providers. A total of
16 licenses would be awarded.
The Republican lawmaker said
the sports betting bills, if passed,
won’t allow for casinos to be built in
Georgia. They would have to be approved through a law of their own.
“For me, I think this is really all
been about the fact that it’s online
sports betting,” Wiedower said.
“This legislation does not provide
for any bricks and mortar. This is an
activity that is currently being done
as you and I speak that is not being
regulated in any way, shape or form.
This is a way to safeguard that, to
protect those not cautious enough to
get in over their head.”
Everett Catts is a freelance writer who has
previously worked as an editor for various
Georgia newspapers.
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