Georgia Gambling Laws: What’s Legal and What’s Not
Georgia features legalized lottery betting, charitable bingo, and charity raffle games. Otherwise, Georgia has a strict ban on most other forms of land-based and online gambling. Georgia gamblers must play at offshore sites, sportsbooks, and poker sites — though all three are legal for Georgians.
This article is a guide to Georgia’s online gambling laws, along with other forms of gambling in Georgia. We provide a timeline of Georgia’s gambling history, an overview of individual gambling laws, and an FAQ of commonly asked questions by Georgia gamblers. Remember — Georgians who want to gamble online should read honest casino reviews and deposit money in trusted casino sites only.
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Georgia Gambling Laws
Like many US states in the deep south, Georgia has strict gambling laws and few regulated forms of gambling. Georgia has a robust state lottery, online lotto ticket sales, and many charitable bingo halls. It also has a handful of small business casino cruises at any time, but no land-based casinos, sportsbooks, or poker rooms.
State lawmakers have introduced several casino bills in the past 10 years, a sign that Georgia’s attitudes towards gambling are changing. These bills failed in the state legislature, though.
Georgia Online Gambling
Georgia lawmakers won’t regulate online gambling anytime soon, but law enforcement doesn’t prosecute individual residents who play online for real money.
The Georgia Constitution make owning a gambling machine illegal, while distributing gaming-related equipment is illegal. Anyone who runs an unlicensed gaming den or online gambling website in Georgia would face prosecution. That’s for operators, though.
Georgia residents can play at offshore casinos, sportsbooks, and poker sites without fear of prosecution. They play without consumer protections, so Georgians must read honest casino reviews and pick a safe and trusted casino site.
Georgia Online Casinos
We grade Georgia based casinos on safety, trust, good bonuses, US-friendly payment methods, fun games, and helpful customer service. Our reviewers are enthusiasts who’ve played at the casino sites we recommend (and many we don’t recommend).
Real money online gamblers from Georgia deposit their money in offshore gaming sites, so they’ll need to make a wise choice. Even with our recommended sites, we present the pros and cons of the sites. Our readers choose a casino with an insider’s view of the US gaming market.
Georgia Land-Based Casinos
Since 2014, Georgia state lawmakers have proposed several casino bills. Casino moguls like the late-Sheldon Adelson (Las Vegas Sands Corp) and Jim Murren (former CEO of MGM Resorts) toured Atlanta, Savannah, and Athens for prospective brick-and-mortar casino sites. Adelson even shifted his lobbying efforts from Florida to Georgia at one point.
Each of these bills failed in the Georgia legislature, despite promises that casinos would help fund the HOPE Scholarship Fund. At one point, it was suggested that gaming decisions be devolved upon individual Georgia counties — like alcohol legislation was. None of these ideas worked, so Georgia land-based casinos seem unlikely for the time being.
Georgia Sports Betting
Sports betting is a different matter. As of 2021, 11 different gambling bills involving sports betting exist in the Georgia legislature. A couple gained traction in early 2021.
House Bill 86 passed out of the House Economic Development and Tourism Committee on February 3 by a 20-6 vote. Rep. Ron Stephens (R-Savannah), who supports the bill, said HB 86 would generate $40 million a year for the Georgia Lottery.
In March 2021, the Georgia Senate passed a bill that would fund college scholarships, rural broadband, and health care programs. It’s a departure from the typical gambling bill, which earmarks funds for the HOPE Scholarship and Pre-K programs. State Sen. Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga) is an outspoken supporter of the bill. The matter is complicated, though.
For instance, State Sen. Bill Cowsert (R-Athens) says that all bettors end up losers, though he supports the bill. Giving his reasoning, Cowsert said gambling is “almost a part of southern culture”.
Despite the support, the Georgia House rejected sports betting in a floor vote on March 21, 2021.
Georgia State Lottery
The Georgia state lottery is a leader among US lottery games. It funds the HOPE Scholarship Fund, a popular postsecondary education program. In fact, the HOPE Scholarship became a model for other states’ lottery funds, including the South Carolina Education Lottery. Former Georgia lottery officials left to lead the Florida Lottery and the Tennessee Lottery.
Georgia joined the Mega Millions multi-state lottery association in 1996 and the Powerball lottery in 2010. In 2012, Georgia approved online lottery ticket sales. This made Georgia an unlikely ally of online gambling when the US DOJ tried to ban online gambling in 2019.
Georgia Bingo Gambling
Georgia allows charitable bingo gambling and charity raffles. Nonprofit organizations like police, fire, veterans, and church groups can host bingo nights and raffles.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation oversees charitable gambling.
Georgia Casino Cruises
At various times, casino cruise ships sailed out of Brunswick (near Savannah). These ships sail beyond the 3-mile line into international waters off the coast of Georgia, where casino gambling is legal. Casino cruises typically host slot machines and a few table games.
The Emerald Princess Casino sailed out of Brunswick a few years ago. Players buy passage on the casino cruise, which stays out at sea for a set number of hours.
Georgia Online Gambling FAQ
Yes, but you’ll need to play at an offshore casinos, sportsbook, or cardroom. Georgia never has regulated online gambling, but its law enforcement officials don’t prosecute individuals who gamble online.
Yes. While Georgia has no regulations or licensed online gambling sites, its officials don’t prosecute Georgia residents who play for real money online. You won’t have consumer protections, so read honest casino reviews and pick a casino wisely.
Yes. Georgia doesn’t regulate online poker sites, but its officials don’t prosecute Georgia citizens who play poker online for real money. You’ll play at offshore online poker sites, so read honest poker rooms reviews before depositing cash.
Yes. Georgia doesn’t have regulated online sportsbooks, but law enforcement doesn’t prosecute individual online sports bettors. You’ll play at offshore online bookmakers, so it’s important that you choose safe and trusted sportsbooks.
Georgia came close to passing legal sports betting through the Georgia Lottery in 2021, but the bill failed in the Georgia House on the last day of March 2021.
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The legal gambling age for lottery betting, charitable bingo, and charity raffles is 18. If you wish to play at an offshore online casino, poker site, or sportsbook, you’ll need to be 18 years or older.