MACON, Ga. — Super Bowl LV is this Sunday!
According to the American Gaming Association, 23.2 million Americans plan to bet a total of $4.3 billion on this year's matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
A new bill in Georgia could allow sports fans the chance to get in on that action in the future.
An online sports gambling bill passed a Georgia House committee this week. The bill is expected to be on the House floor as soon as next week.
13 WMAZ’s Ashlyn Webb spoke to Central Georgia lawmakers and the bill’s sponsor about what they believe it could do if legalized.
“Today, 2 million people, Georgians are sports betting, and they're spending about $4 billion a year,” said Rep. Ron Stephens, the sponsor of the bill, so Stephens says why not legalize sports betting, tax it, and bring in a gain for the state.
After companies pay out winnings, the state would tax remaining proceeds 14 percent if this bill passes. The bill only allows for sports betting on professional teams so not college football or horse racing.
Representative Stephens says, if passed, this law could particularly benefit the HOPE Scholarship program.
“It's about a $300 million hole to fully fund it again. This will put about $40 million in there, so it will take us a little bit down the path,” Stephens said.
Stephens says the bill has safeguards in place like requiring those who place bets to be 21 or older, and only allowing people to pay a wager on their debit cards.
Representatives from Central Georgia, Robert Dickey and Dale Washburn, say they are leaning towards supporting the bill because of how it would regulate the industry. However, Washburn says he has not made a final decision yet.
“We're just trying to get a hand on it the best we can,” Dickey said.
“It's happening anyway. It would be better to be regulated and get some benefit from it for the revenue it could produce for the state,” Washburn said, but Representative Danny Mathis says he's against it.
“I think what this may be is just a stepping stone to open up for the casino's and the horse racing, and, gosh, we're fighting so many things now with addictions. We're fighting so much with human trafficking, not to count money lost and families hurt,” Mathis said.
The bill is backed by a coalition of four professional sports teams in Georgia — the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta United. Though they won't make any money off sports betting, Rep. Stephens says these teams want it for fan engagement.
Representative Ron Stephens says the state could rake in "massive" revenue if the state already had sports betting legalized in time for the game.
The American Gaming Association says 25 states along with Washington D.C. have legalized sports betting.
