Efforts to legalize sports betting in the US state of Georgia have fallen short as the General Assembly failed to pass the necessary legislation. Despite the swift progress of two betting bills through the Senate in under three weeks, they ultimately did not advance to the full House of Representatives.
On the early morning of March 28th, two betting bills containing constitutional amendments emerged from the House Higher Education Committee. With approximately 15 hours remaining before the end of the session, negotiations faltered as the Rules Committee, convening at least three times that Thursday, declined to consider the legislation. This marked the fourth consecutive session in which Georgia lawmakers were unable to reach a consensus on the matter.
Sources close to the situation, as reported by iGB portal, indicate that had the bills been enacted, Georgia stood to secure substantial funds to bolster healthcare initiatives. The proposed high taxation rates accompanying legalization could have exceeded those of several other states, including Washington, significantly contributing to efforts to combat gambling-related issues.