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Senate committee votes to add sports betting act to another bill
State lawmakers throw up a "Hail Mary" pass to legalize sports betting in Georgia. The Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee voted to add the "Georgia Lottery Game of Sports Betting Act" inside another bill.
ATLANTA - State lawmakers throw up a "Hail Mary" pass to legalize sports betting in Georgia.
Thursday morning, the Georgia Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee voted to add the "Georgia Lottery Game of Sports Betting Act" inside another bill.
State senators say this will ensure that sports betting will be overseen, regulated, and offered by the Georgia Lottery Corporation.
GEORGIA SENATE VOTES DOWN SECOND SPORTS BETTING BILL
Under the legislation, the Georgia Lottery Corporation would regulate sports betting and proceeds would go to education, just like current lottery games.
The bill initially added the language that would have designated the Southeast Georgia Soapbox Derby as the official soapbox derby of the state of Georgia, but the sponsor asked committee members to strip out her legislation instead.
"I don't want my soap box derby to be associated with sports betting and I would request that you strip my language from this," said state Rep. Leesa Hagan, R-Lyons, addressing the session.
"Whoever came up with this idea just set sports betting back five years. When you hijack a soap box derby... every person with was on the fence in the state of Georgia has just now picked a side of the fence," said state Rep. Mike Dugan, R-Carrollton, addressed the session.
The bill now heads to the Senate Rules Committee, which will decide if and when it goes to the Senate floor for a full vote.