A new poll suggests that support for legal sports betting has weakened in Georgia but that it remains at around the 50% mark.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Tuesday the results of a recent survey done for the newspaper by the University of Georgia’s School of Public and International Affairs.
According to the poll, which was conducted earlier in January and surveyed 860 registered voters, around 48% of respondents were either somewhat or strongly supportive of legalizing sports betting sites in the southern state. Another 37% opposed sports betting in Georgia, and 15.1% said they were unsure.
The AJC noted that support for sports wagering in the Peach State had declined since the newspaper last asked voters about the subject in 2020. Then, around 57% of those surveyed said they supported sportsbooks in Georgia.
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— Atlanta Journal-Constitution (@ajc) January 24, 2023
Yet the latest polling comes shortly after the Georgia General Assembly convened for its 2023 regular session, which is scheduled to run until March 30. There are expectations that legislators in Atlanta will take another run at trying to pass a bill legalizing sports betting, something they have tried and failed to do in past sessions.
Furthermore, the former chief justice of the Georgia Supreme Court recently opined that an amendment to the state constitution would not be needed to allow legal online sports betting. Instead, Harold Melton argued, it should be considered an extension of the state lottery.
If that is the case, the path to legalizing sports betting in Georgia could be much smoother, since it would not require a trip to the ballot box.
Still, it’s not clear whether there is enough support among the public or in the legislature. Democrat Stacey Abrams was also defeated in another campaign for the Georgia governor's office last November, running on a platform that included legal sports betting.
That may not be enough to keep a lawmaker from trying, though. The proposal for using funds from sports wagering could sway public opinion as well.
“I’m not a bettor, but if they allow gambling, it should be fair and should be taxed,” Dawn Evans, a Thomson resident, told the AJC. “I’m all for it if it will be able to benefit some people who need help.”
