Georgia among dwindling group of states that bans sports betting
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Georgia is one of a shrinking number of states that still doesn't allow sports betting.
Driving the news: Missouri voters last week adopted a constitutional amendment legalizing sports betting by a razor-thin margin: 50.07% yes to 49.93% no.
- It's now the 39th state to legalize sports betting to some degree.
The big picture: Sports gambling has swept the nation since the U.S. Supreme Court opened the door in 2018 for states to allow it.
Zoom in: Legislation has repeatedly been introduced in the Georgia General Assembly that would legalize sports betting.
- The state Senate earlier this year passed two pieces of legislation that would have authorized sports betting, but the bills died after lawmakers could not agree on how the state should spend taxes collected on that revenue, according to the AP.
Yes, but: Georgia is not alone. The two most populous states in the nation — California and Texas — are among the holdouts.
Fun fact: The only forms of gambling allowed in the Peach State are the games offered by the Georgia Lottery Corporation, bingo for charity and raffles, according to the Secretary of State's Office.
- It's classified as a misdemeanor under Georgia law.