(STL.News) It seems like it was a dream come true a few years ago, but here we are today witnessing a bill that will allow all Georgia sports enthusiasts to bet legally on sports. If you currently live in Georgia rejoice, as you can place your bets on the Atlanta Falcons, Georgia Southern Eagles and even the Trashers. The team at bookmakers.bet applauded such a move and feel that this will be a stepping stone to legalize sports nationwide.
Many Georgians have welcomed the news, and hope that new sports betting entities will take full advantage of this new law allowing sports betting. Asked in a vox pop, Georgians seem to already enjoy betting for money amongst friends, hence such laws will protect them and will even provide choice and hopefully odds and winnings. One vivid fantasy football fan advised that him and his group of friends enter fantasy football competitions as there is a win at the end of every tournament. The player advised that he enjoys the process of fantasy football, but the new law will always protect the punter. If we take a look at how much Americans enjoy their sports betting, only last year the country as a whole generated $150 billion in sports wagers, either through betting shops or through offshore sites.
Notable pioneers in the Atlanta sports scene have suggested that annually billions of money is bet in Georgia, yet the state does not make any revenue from any wager. No ever 1 single wager. The reason for this is simple, once there are no laws, the state will not net any profit, however once the new sports betting bill is implemented in a couple of months, the state of Georgia will take home a portion of the bets generated.
One entity that has been very vocal in the process of this new bill being introduced, is definitely the Georgia Professional Sports Integrity Alliance. The group is composed of various state based sports teams that work together for a common goal, with the common law being legalized sports betting. Some of the notable names that feature as front liners in the Alliance include the Atlanta Falcons, The Braves and Atlanta United. Through the years, the Alliance has always stated that their main objective is to work hand in hand with government officials to bring to the table a law that allows legal online sports and mobile betting.
The sports betting team within bookmakers.bet feel that a new law will allow players to come together. Compete in competitions, bet legally on their local or foreign sporting events and even scoop welcome and loyalty bonuses in between. The goal is to engage the fans, increase the social presence of sports, and hopefully land winners along the way.
Movement in the sports betting scene has not only been taking place in Georgia. We can still vividly and candidly remember when the US Supreme court handed overturned the law against sports betting. This was way back in 2018, following that astonishing turn of events, a whopping 22 states across the US have legalized sports betting in a small or big capacity. If we look at New Jersey alone, in 2020, the Garden state has pocketed a whopping $332 million via legal sports betting across the state. The lawmakers in Georgia has already suggested that once the bill is legal and operational, it could be the key to generate revenue in Georgia. Money that Georgia greatly needs, especially since the aftermath of the coronavirus and the negative impact on the economy.
If Georgia plans to continue elaborating on gambling laws the constitutional amendment will not be needed, however lawmakers will still run the bill via the Georgia Lottery, an entity that funds the Hope Scholarships and the pre-K programs.
I/we spoke a lot about many entities and big figures who have come out in support of this new bill and law, however we did not touch base with the opposing teams. Whilst many feel that a sports betting law and framework are very much needed, other parties feel that this will be the end of the road, the legal way to destroy families. Many still believe that if a law is passed, this will allow gambling to flourish and eventually create gambling issues. Opposing the bill, many people have stated that this bill will be a lost battle, and will only allow the money making sports entities to make even more money.
The opposing party painted a picture of despair as they claimed that a 22 year old gambling addict lost complete track of his life, as he succumbed to gambling. His family life, his physical state and even mentally the gambler was destroyed. Families affected by the devastation of gambling have the opportunity to join GAM-Anon, an agency that helps families that are negatively impacted by gambling addictions. A GAM-Anon member, the gambler’s mother was interviewed and stated that she has no care in the world to retrieve the gambling money, however she does want her son back, enjoying life and not a prisoner to gambling.
The good news is that once a legal bill is passed as a law in the state of Georgia, the law will indeed be there to protect the player. The player will have the facility to self exclude, have betting and deposit limits, and have also further protections. Lawmakers behind the law feel that this is a win – win situation for both the sate and the gambler. The punter will have a legal set up to play freely, yet still stay in control of betting limits, on the other hand, the state will have a portion of the revenue that is generated by all wagers, and this all Georgia will benefit in return.
Bookmakers.bet states that if Georgia will go ahead with the bill and implement this is a law, punters will potentially start enjoying legal sports betting as early as July 2021. Ready to place your bets? Let’s go!