The Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee of Georgia will consider a new mobile sports betting bill soon. The bill will allow legalized sports betting in the state.

What does the bill suggest?

Senate Bill 403 will make way for regulated sports wagering in the state via mobile. It also suggests plans to create a Georgia Mobile Sports Wagering Integrity Commission, which will be entrusted with the responsibility to regulate the market. The Commission will be a part of the existing Georgia Lottery Corporation. It will process license applications from mobile sports wagering operators.

The bill was introduced to the Senate by its author Senator Burt Jones. It is supported by Senators David Lucas, Ed Harbison, Brandon Beach, and Jeff Mullis. According to the proposed bill, the operators will have to pay a one-time non-refundable application fee of $50,000. They will also pay $900,000 every year to renew their licenses. Operators will pay a 10% tax on their adjusted gross income on a monthly basis. The gross income from the previous calendar month will be counted for this purpose.

The bill advises the use of these proceeds to help support the state’s educational programs and provide pre-kindergarten funding.

What else does the bill suggest?

The Georgia sports betting bill mandates operators to use only official league data to offer live betting. It also suggests that players must be at least 21 years of age and must be located within the state borders to be able to place a bet.

The bill comes shortly after a Georgia Senate Committee held a presentation and testimony for various industry stakeholders in October 2019. The Senate Study Committee on Gaming and Pari-mutual Wagering on Horse Racing and Growing Georgia’s Equine Industry. was expected to explore the possibility of launching sports betting in the state. It heard the opinions of several sports organizations and their related organizations, suppliers, and operators. Prominent participants of the testimony include DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars Entertainment, and Scientific Games.

The bill is being supported by the Georgia Professional Sports Integrity Alliance. This group represents several sporting teams, including Atlanta United Sports, Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Falcons, and Atlanta Braves. The group was formed last year to support efforts that legalize retail betting on athletic events in the state.