Georgians care about two things above all: having the freedom to make our own choices, and making sure those choices benefit our communities. That’s why the question of regulated casino gaming and legal sports betting should be settled right here, by our state legislature and then by a public vote. Certainly not by bureaucrats in Washington issuing back-door approvals under vague “financial contract” labels.
Estimates show that legal sports betting could generate over $200 million a year for our state while casino destination resorts should yield up to 10 times that amount, not to mention over $5 billion in new real estate developments that pay property taxes and 50,000 new jobs. All of this would be a serious new potential revenue stream for the state of Georgia’s coffers.
That’s money that could go to better roads, stronger schools, HOPE scholarships, local infrastructure, or tax relief. This would be a much-needed infusion, especially in a time of tight budgets and growing demands on public services. The economics are real, and the potential is massive.
But while Georgians wait for our lawmakers to act, something else is happening: a federal agency is quietly letting “prediction market” platforms operate, offering de facto sports-betting without paying Georgia taxes, without following the guardrails a state-regulated system would impose, and without supporting responsible-gaming or community-benefit programs. That’s not progress. It’s a shortcut that erodes both fairness and transparency.
More troubling: those platforms are operating precisely because no one in Georgia asked for them. Legislators haven’t voted. Voters haven’t weighed in. There’s no public debate. No accountability. No assurance that money stays in Georgia or that consumer protections are in place. And yet, these platforms are claiming they’re “legal” nationwide, skipping over our state’s democratic process.
That matters. Because when Washington gives a pass to unregulated gambling, it undermines the very argument for bringing gaming out of the shadows and into a regulated, taxable, transparent marketplace, the kind the state has been debating for years.
In states that have legalized and regulated casino gaming and sports betting, operators have testified before state legislatures and regulators, offering concrete plans for oversight, age verification, community reinvestment, and jobs. But not these prediction-market firms. They aren’t engaging with lawmakers; they’re simply signing up customers and taking payments.
Georgia should legalize gaming but through a constitutional amendment, and it should be done openly, with public input, clear rules, and accountability. That way, we ensure that gaming serves Georgians, not anonymous overseas operators or distant regulators whose only interest is profit.
At this point, the question is straightforward: Georgia should decide how Georgia does business. If gaming is going to play a role in our economy, it ought to be structured in a way that’s transparent, well regulated, and aligned with the interests of our communities. That means understanding the potential upside, recognizing the risks, and putting in place a framework that supports long-term growth rather than quick, unaccountable wins for outside operators.
A rushed federal workaround doesn’t offer any of that. It creates uncertainty for consumers, strips away the chance for meaningful public input, and diverts value that could otherwise support Georgia’s infrastructure, workforce, and local development. No responsible investor or business owner would build on a foundation that unstable.
Georgia knows how to run its own businesses; it should run this one too. We should take gaming into our own hands with a vote.