Betting On Horse Racing Measures Approved In GA Senate Committee

ATLANTA, GA — Gambling on horse races in Georgia is a step closer to reality after lawmakers this week gave early approval to move forward.

The State Committee on Regulated Industries and Utilities on Wednesday passed a resolution, SR 131, authorizing the General Assembly to put to voters the question of whether to legalize pari-mutuel or betting on horse racing in the state or on simulcast races.

Thursday, the committee passed Senate Bill 212 (SB 212), which would create the Georgia Horse Racing Commission to regulate betting and allow for up to five horse racing tracks in the state.

Both bills call for amendments to Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia that prohibit any gambling in the state, but limit the change to only betting at horse tracks. The measures would not allow for other betting like slot machines or casino tables at racetracks.

Committee Chairman Bill Cowsert (R-Athens) told the Associated Press he was concerned that horse betting alone would not generate enough revenue to support the industry the way, however.

“That’s part of what worries me here, if it’s not possible for it to succeed without additional gaming revenue,” Cowsert said.

The state allows for lottery gaming and funds the Hope Scholarship program with proceeds from The Georgia Lottery.

No companion bill has surfaced yet in the State House, although House Speaker David Ralston has hinted there may be support for such a measure in this legislative session.

“There is an appetite this session that I hadn’t seen before to do something,” Ralston said in January, suggesting proponents should focus on a constitutional amendment and leave until later the details of whether the state will legalize casinos, sports betting or horse-race betting.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution pointed to a Georgia Southern University study commissioned by state Sen. Billy Hicks, one of the sponsors of both pieces of legislation and a horse breeder, that predicted that three Georgia horse racing tracks would generate more than 8,500 jobs and create a $1.28 billion industry. If voters approve, the AJC reports that a 3.75-percent tax on all wagers taken at the racetracks would go to the state.

Still, Georgia Baptist Mission Board lobbyist Mike Griffin told the AJC he opposed any gambling measure.

“This would probably be the lesser of three evils,” Griffin said. “My experience of being here through the years is that typically one thing leads to another. ... Two years from now there’s a possibility this group will be back here saying, ‘We’re going to have to add (more types of gambling) in here because we’re not making money.’”

— The Associated Press contributed.