Golfers will make their way down Magnolia Lane this week and compete in one of the world’s most prestigious tournaments. However, as fans flock to Augusta National to watch the Masters, Georgians won’t be able to legally bet on the major championship.

Lawmakers failed to legalize sports betting in Georgia yet again in 2024, as another year passes without mobile betting apps coming to the Peach State.

The sports betting debate will surely come up in future legislative sessions, and lawmakers will need to come to terms on a few key discussion points. For several years, including 2024, the same topics have stalled the sports betting legalization progress.

Among the hot debate topics in the Georgia General Assembly is the need for a constitutional amendment to legalize sports betting. Sen. Bill Cowsert, who holds significant sway when it comes to sports wagering legislation, is among the lawmakers who feel a constitutional amendment is needed to expand gambling in Georgia.

“I think it’s the politically appropriate thing to do when we make this type of major policy shift in our state,” Cowsert said during a hearing. “This is to give voters the opportunity to speak on the issue.”

Other legislators believe sports betting could be legalized as a lottery game, circumventing the need for a constitutional amendment.

It’s harder to legalize sports betting through a constitutional amendment because a bill needs two-thirds support in both legislative chambers to pass. Other bills just need majority support. A constitutional amendment also requires voter approval.

If Georgia legislators believe a constitutional amendment is the only way to move sports betting forward, which seemed to be the sentiment in 2024, it’s going to be a challenge to legalize. Sports betting needs bipartisan support in Georgia to move forward.

Part of the reason online sports betting legalization hasn’t drawn much push forward from the state legislature is the lack of projected tax revenue. Cowsert estimated online sports betting tax revenue might only generate $50 million annually for the state. Others estimate closer to $100 million, but legislators view that as just a drop in the bucket of the state’s annual budget.

The lack of projected revenue had some legislators puzzled as to the reason for a push to legalize.

“Since we’re not gonna really make any money based on what you’re saying, and then we’re gonna have people gambling, and then we’ve gotta take care of them, then why are we even doing this?” Rep. Rhonda Burnough said during a House committee hearing. “What’s the purpose?”

Even with sports gambling not expected to lead to a major influx of tax revenue, state legislators struggled to agree on where to send tax revenue. Some believe a major chunk of tax revenue should go toward responsible gambling measures. Others believe all of the money should benefit specific educational measures.

Disagreements about tax revenue distribution – and relatively small tax revenue creation – were a key reason why Georgia failed to legalize sports wagering in 2024.

Some legislators in Georgia are fearful of a possible problem gambling rise should sports betting be legalized. Several religious groups lobbied against sports betting in the General Assembly this year.

“Thank you to all who prayed and contacted their legislators to ask them to oppose any state-sponsored predatory gambling like sports betting,” Mike Griffin, an anti-sports betting lobbyist, wrote on Christian Index after the legislative session ended.

Griffin has lobbied against sports betting for years, with legislators often joking that they’ve given him good job security by proposing gambling bills every year.

Given the need for two-thirds support in each chamber, any concerns about sports betting legalization jeopardize the chances of a bill becoming law. It’s possible that views around Georgia sports betting will change over time, but in 2024, there are still serious concerns in the state about gambling expansion.