Gambling in Georgia
Gambling is one of the most popular hobbies in the world that millions of people enjoy. This is because there is nothing as fun and exciting risking a little money on game with big returns. While Georgia is not known as a gambling destination, Gambling in Georgia is not unpopular. On the contrary, hundreds of thousands of Georgians enjoy gambling.
This can be seen by the popularity of the GA lottery, Bingo and amusement gaming machines within the state. While amusement gaming machines cannot give cash payout, they are nonetheless very popular with almost 34,000 machines in Georgia.,
While gambling in Georgia is limited, it does not mean that they are not able to enjoy it! Unfortunately, most Georgians have to drive a couple a few ours across the state-line to get a full gaming experience. Needless to say, millions of dollars are spent by Georgians in other states to bet on sports or in casinos.
What You Need to Know about Gambling in the State of Georgia
Currently, the only legal form of gambling in Georgia are the state Lottery and Bingo parlors run by non-profit organizations. In the past few years, several attempts have been made to legalize sports betting and casinos. Unfortunately, the latest attempt in 2023 was not successful.
However, sports betting software companies and analysts believe it is just a matter of time. Especially since the votes in favor of gambling are getting higher every year.
Here is what is currently legal and illegal when it comes to gambling in the Peach State.
Lottery – The Georgia State Lottery is the only form of legal lottery in Georgia.
Bingo – Live bingo games are legal by registered non-profit organization. However, the prize pool cannot be higher than $1,500 per day or $3,000 per week
Casinos – Casinos are not legal in Georgia but casino cruises are available off the coast of Georgia with Emerald Princess.
Sports Betting – At the moment, sports betting in Georgia is illegal and includes horse betting and dog racing. Several attempts have been made to legalize it with the latest one being in 2023.
Daily Fantasy Sports – As to Daily Fantasy Sports in Georgia, there are currently not any laws or regulations for or against. Therefore, Georgians are able to enjoy fantasy sports contest on a variety of websites. Some of the most popular fantasy sports sites in Georgia include, DraftKings and FanDuel.
Poker – Poker for cash is illegal in in Georgia.
Closest Gambling Options for Georgian
While many forms of gambling are not available in Georgia, Georgians are still able to bet on their favorite team or play their favorite casino game. The distance will depend on their location and can be just a few minutes or a few hours away.
North Carolina is the ideal destination for residents of northern Georgia. This is because they have several casinos available on Native American reservations.
Florida is also a great option for those living in the southern part of the state. In fact, Florida boasts several casinos with 18 of them in Miami alone.
Alabama is another great option for Georgians with casinos available on Native American land. However, most gambling options in Alabama are limited to slot machines, video gambling, horse racing and pull-tab cards.
Tennessee is a newcomer in the gambling market with sports betting available in the state. While casinos are not available, they have a wide variety of sports gambling options.
Responsible Gambling and Addiction
Even though millions of people are able to gamble without any problems, it is still possible to become fall prey to it. Gambling Addiction is real and can ruin lives, families, friends and communities. Some of the signs of a gambling addiction includes:
- Concealing gambling or lying about it to others.
- Losing more then you can afford to lose
- Trying to control, cut back or stop gambling, without success.
- Feeling guilty about gambling
- Feeling restless or irritable when you try to cut down on gambling.
If you feel like you may have an addiction sports betting, casino games or any type of gambling, please seek help. The Georgia Council on Problem ambling (800-522-4700) is available 24/7 and is 100% confidential. Furthermore, this hotline connects callers to local health and government organizations that can assist with their gambling addiction.