• About Us / Contact
  • Responsible Gambling
This site contains commercial content
SportsHandle
  • US Sports Betting
    • Arizona
    • Arkansas
    • Colorado
    • Connecticut
    • Delaware
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Louisiana
    • Maine
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • Mississippi
    • New Jersey
    • New Mexico
    • New York
    • Ohio
    • Oregon
    • Pennsylvania
    • Tennessee
    • Virginia
    • West Virginia
    • Wyoming
  • Pending States
    • California
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Missouri
    • North Carolina
  • Canada
    • Ontario
    • British Columbia
    • Alberta
  • Sportsbook Apps
    • FanDuel
    • BetMGM
    • Caesars
    • PointsBet
    • BetRivers
  • Tools
    • Sportsbook Bonuses Explained
    • Sports Betting Revenue Tracker
    • Sports Betting Podcasts
    • Partnership Tracker
    • Expected Value
    • Sports Scores And Odds Apps
    • Sports Betting Twitter
  • News
No Result
View All Result
SportsHandle
  • US Sports Betting
    • Arizona
    • Arkansas
    • Colorado
    • Connecticut
    • Delaware
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Louisiana
    • Maine
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • Mississippi
    • New Jersey
    • New Mexico
    • New York
    • Ohio
    • Oregon
    • Pennsylvania
    • Tennessee
    • Virginia
    • West Virginia
    • Wyoming
  • Pending States
    • California
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Missouri
    • North Carolina
  • Canada
    • Ontario
    • British Columbia
    • Alberta
  • Sportsbook Apps
    • FanDuel
    • BetMGM
    • Caesars
    • PointsBet
    • BetRivers
  • Tools
    • Sportsbook Bonuses Explained
    • Sports Betting Revenue Tracker
    • Sports Betting Podcasts
    • Partnership Tracker
    • Expected Value
    • Sports Scores And Odds Apps
    • Sports Betting Twitter
  • News
No Result
View All Result
SportsHandle
No Result
View All Result

Georgia Legislator Seeks Responsible Gambling Input On Betting Bill

Despite thorough gambling conversations, sports betting legalization is not a lock this session

Bennett Conlin by Bennett Conlin
February 24, 2023
in Legislation
atlanta-falcons-helmet

Cooper Neill/Getty Images

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Responsible gambling was the focus of a Thursday afternoon committee hearing in the Georgia Senate. Sen. Bill Cowsert hopes his legislation (SR 140 and SB 172), which would enable a constitutional amendment giving voters a choice to legalize sports betting in Georgia, can be a leader in the responsible betting space. 

Discussion on the legislation included a few comments from those with moral objections to gambling.

“One argument that I hear quite frequently in favor of this legislation is, ‘Well, it’s already happening in our state, so we might as well get the revenue from it,’” said Mack Parnell, executive director for the Georgia Faith and Freedom Coalition. “I would say there are a lot of things that are happening in our state, but that doesn’t mean the state should embrace it. … Fentanyl, for example: Just because that’s happening in our state and devastating communities doesn’t mean the state should embrace it.”

A blessing working with these men yesterday in standing against the expansion of gambling in Ga. Most of us were able to testify against Sports Betting legislation in the Sen Regulated Industries Committee hearing. @CoryLawrenceGA, Prof. John Kindt, @LesBernal & @PaulSmithGA. pic.twitter.com/JODZmMetOF

— Michael R. Griffin (@mikegriffinsr) February 24, 2023

Responsible gambling experts weigh in

The bill faces significant potential roadblocks because it requires a constitutional amendment to legalize sports betting, which means a two-thirds majority in the House and Senate is needed to put the measure in front of voters in 2024. Two other bills hope to legalize wagering in the state without a constitutional amendment, but those pieces of legislation don’t include the same level of responsible gambling measures. 

“There are several bills that are being discussed in both chambers around the legalization of sports wagering,” testified Brianne Doura-Schawohl, a national responsible gambling consultant. “It is quite contradictory to say that your bill is responsible in addressing problem gambling adequately if funding is absent. Your bill, sir, is the only one with any funding mechanism to address this important public health issue.”

Cowsert’s bill allocates 15% of wagering tax revenue to public health and educational services related to responsible gambling measures. The legislator also hopes to limit bettors to depositing no more than $2,000 per month into betting accounts, a unique policy proposal. 

James Whelan, the director of the University of Memphis Gambling Clinic, spoke about the importance of creating responsible gambling measures and offering resources to those with gambling problems. He suggested that preventing gambling altogether is impossible, but there are ways to help the select individuals dealing with problems while also reducing potential harms in the industry. 

“The idea of stopping gambling is like putting up a fence after everything has left the yard,” Whelan said. 

Cowsert also brought in Mark Vander Linden, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission’s director of research and responsible gaming, to speak about how retail sportsbooks went live there in January and mobile sportsbooks will launch next month. 

Les Bernal, the national director of Stop Predatory Gambling, spoke intensely against the bill, contending that mobile sports betting operators target losing bettors and limit profitable bettors. 

“It’s a big con,” Bernal said. 

Bernal also asserted that sports betting is just a way for operators to eventually introduce online casinos across the U.S. 

Next steps 

At the end of the Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee meeting, SR 140 passed through committee. The enabling legislation, SB 172, is expected to be discussed by the committee Tuesday. 

SB 57 is awaiting action from the Senate Rules Committee, which should lead to a vote on the Senate floor. The exact timing of when that might occur is unclear, but the state’s legislative session concludes at the end of March. SB 57 would legalize fixed-odds wagering on horse racing in addition to sports betting, without requiring a constitutional amendment.  

HB 380 remains in the House Higher Education Committee, where it was discussed earlier this week. It’s expected to be discussed more in that committee in the near future. Like SB 57, HB 380 doesn’t require a constitutional amendment to legalize sports betting.

ShareTweetShare
Bennett Conlin

Bennett Conlin

Bennett Conlin is a sports betting reporter. He began his sportswriting career crafting recaps of family wiffle ball games. He’s covered more meaningful games since those early days, most recently writing about the University of Virginia’s athletic programs for The Daily Progress. Bennett can be reached at [email protected].

Related Posts

marcell-ozuna-swinging-at-pitch
Legislation

Georgia Sports Wagering Legalization Efforts Officially Dead For 2023

March 30, 2023
paul tonko
Opinion

Responsible Gambling Taking A Back Seat To Mass Hysteria In Sports Betting World

March 28, 2023
Load More

Top Stories

taylor mathis

Taylor Mathis Got Sacrificed At The Altar Of Responsible Gambling

March 20, 2023
fanduel baseball wall

Premade Same Game Parlays Are Sucker Bets

March 13, 2023
maginfier-over-small-print

Read The Fine Print: A Proposed Federal Rule Could Change Everything For Indian Gaming

March 6, 2023
roman reigns wwe

Colorado Denies Report Stating That It’s Considering WWE Wagering

March 8, 2023

State Sports Betting Guides

Ohio (U.S. state) flag waving against clear blue sky, close up, isolated with clipping path mask alpha channel transparency, perfect for film, news, composition

Ohio Sports Betting – All Online Sportsbooks, Bonus Offers, and News 2023

by Brian Pempus
March 31, 2023

Downtown Detroit at twilight (Shutterstock)

Michigan Sports Betting – Where To Play, Online Sportsbooks, And FAQ

by Brett Smiley
March 27, 2023

VA captial

Virginia Sports Betting – Where To Play, Online Sportsbooks And Bonus Offers

by Brett Smiley
January 17, 2023

nj flag

New Jersey Sports Betting — Where To Play, Online Sportsbooks, And FAQ

by Brett Smiley
March 22, 2023

pa online sportsbooks

Pennsylvania Sports Betting – Where To Play, Online Sportsbooks And Bonuses

by Brett Smiley
October 6, 2022

Canada Sports Betting Guides

Canada Sports Betting – Best Sportsbook Apps & Bonus Offers

British Columbia Sports Betting – Legal Update, Available Sportsbooks, and FAQ

Ontario Sports Betting – Legal Status And Where To Play

SportsHandle

  • Analysis
  • Casino
  • Features
  • Horse Racing
  • Industry
  • Legal
  • Legislation
  • Opinion
  • Podcasts
  • Poker
  • Politics
  • Promotions
  • Regulation
  • Sports
  • Uncategorized

Better Collective

This website is owned and operated by Better Collective USA. Trademarks and copyrights referenced on this website are and shall remain the exclusive property of their respective owners and/or licensors. Please be sure to visit the operator’s website(s) to review their terms & conditions. We advise you to read these carefully as they contain important information. Copyright © 2023 USBets.com | Better Collective USA
21 Play Responsibly
Gamble Aware West Virginia
Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler.
GameSense

Search Sports Handle

No Result
View All Result
  • About Us / Contact
  • Responsible Gambling

No Result
View All Result
  • US Sports Betting
    • Arizona
    • Arkansas
    • Colorado
    • Connecticut
    • Delaware
    • Illinois
    • Indiana
    • Iowa
    • Kansas
    • Louisiana
    • Maine
    • Maryland
    • Massachusetts
    • Michigan
    • Mississippi
    • New Jersey
    • New Mexico
    • New York
    • Ohio
    • Oregon
    • Pennsylvania
    • Tennessee
    • Virginia
    • West Virginia
    • Wyoming
  • Pending States
    • California
    • Florida
    • Georgia
    • Missouri
    • North Carolina
  • Canada
    • Ontario
    • British Columbia
    • Alberta
  • Sportsbook Apps
    • FanDuel
    • BetMGM
    • Caesars
    • PointsBet
    • BetRivers
  • Tools
    • Sportsbook Bonuses Explained
    • Sports Betting Revenue Tracker
    • Sports Betting Podcasts
    • Partnership Tracker
    • Expected Value
    • Sports Scores And Odds Apps
    • Sports Betting Twitter
  • News