Online Gambling Georgia: GA Online Gambling Guide December 2024

Online casinos –Not Legal

Unfortunately, Georgia online gambling is not permitted by the law, nor are online casino websites. Still, lawmakers could make some changes in the future to legalize both Georgia online casinos and sports betting in the state. For the moment, online sweepstakes casinos and social gambling websites are available and legal, while standard online casinos based and working outside the state are in the grey sector, not legal, not explicitly illegal.

Online poker –Not Legal

Internet poker is not legal in the Heart of Dixie and players may have to wait a while for the situation to change. Keep in mind that future legislation will likely focus on sports gambling regulation and may not cover Georgia online casinos and Internet poker. In US states like New Jersey, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and some others online poker games are allowed. Unlike them, no legal online poker rooms operate in Magnolia State.

Fortunately, there are online poker rooms on the Internet that apply a sweepstakes model and serve Georgians. Some online overseas operating casinos also accept Georgians, but they are not openly legal. The most popular legal website for online poker open for users within the United States is Global Poker. Players there use a virtual currency.

Global Poker serves almost all US states, including Georgia. So, if you live in the state, you can use it for online gambling in Georgia. The website often runs dozens of “cash” games and large tournaments that GA locals can take part in. Don’t hesitate to use this platform to play online poker and participate in tournaments if you live in the Cracker State.

Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) –Legal

The state classifies daily fantasy sports (DFS) as skill-based games. While there are no official laws on fantasy sports, they are still legal to play. This is because they do not fall under illegal gambling laws.

Several reputable operators provide options to bet on DFS, including:

• DraftKings
• FanDuel
• Outlast Daily Fantasy Sports
• PrizePicks
• Yahoo

Land-based casinos –Not Legal

No commercial or tribal casinos work in the Empire State of the South since they are not allowed by the law. The lack of tribal casinos is due to Native American tribes found within the state not being federally recognized. There is only one international boat for online gambling Georgia-based players can use for real money. This is the Emerald Princess Casino.

Sports betting –Not Legal

Sports betting is, unfortunately, not allowed by the law of Georgia. The most recent effort to enact the sports betting bill and legalize this activity failed in 2023. But while this and earlier efforts have been without success, Georgians continue to push for the legalization of betting of sports and other events. Lawmakers are working hard for legal sports betting in Georgia. There haven’t been any recent bills to advance any kind of ballot proposal. The vertical will likely become lawful in the next few years, but nobody knows when this will take place for sure. Unfortunately, there isn’t a physical place in the state for sports gambling.

Some popular types of sports you can bet on at online casinos at your own responsibility include:

• Badminton
• Basketball
• Baseball
• Beach Volleyball
• Cricket
• Horse racing
• Cycling
• Boxing
• Darts
• Esports
• Football
• Golf
• Entertainment
• Soccer
• Handball
• Hockey
• Motor Sports
• Rugby League
• Snooker
• Table Tennis
• Tennis
• Virtual Sports
• Volleyball
• UFC/MMA
• Winter Sports

Georgia State Lottery –Legal

Charitable gambling and the Georgia lottery are among the few legal activities in the state. Players can buy lottery tickets at approximately 8,600 retail locations within the state. They can also play the Georgian Lottery online through a web browser or a mobile device. The Georgia Lottery app is available for both iOS (Apple) and Android devices. Locals can find many different draw games, such as the multi-state Powerball and Mega Millions. It also offers scratchers and online-only Diggi games – instant-win games similar to scratchers. In some cases, losing scratcher tickets may offer opportunities to win in second-chance drawings as well.

Horse racing –Legal

Surprisingly, horse races are legal in the Heart of Dixie, but the problem is that so far, no permanent racetrack exists nor runs. Despite that, the state hosts plenty of horse race festivals all year round, including the Hawkinsville Harness Festival and Georgia Steeplechase. Keep in mind that while horse races are allowed, pari-mutuel wagering on horse races is illegal in the Cotton State. All attempts to legalize horse race betting have been unsuccessful, regardless of some lawmakers’ support and Georgia Horse Racing Coalition‘s lobbying efforts.

Social casinos –Legal

One of the few legal gambling options for Georgians is social casinos. Similarly to using the services of sweepstakes platforms, social gaming is not classified as gambling and is thereby lawful, unlike online casinos. Social casino sites just like daily fantasy sports do not need licenses to operate and accept GA players.

Regulators across the country have the responsibility to review gambling operators to decide if they qualify for licenses. These institutions ensure that gambling sites meet industry standards in many and various areas like:

• responsible gambling
• security
• customer support
• fair play
• random game outcome

If players report a site for breaching its policies or for unfair terms and conditions, regulators will help settle the dispute.

Sweepstakes casino websites –Legal

Sweepstakes are legal options that use the social model of functioning and accept Georgian players. Instead of using real cash, these casinos use virtual currencies that let them stay on the lawful side. This is how they have found a way to run in states such as Georgia’s Own where online gambling for real money is prohibited. Most sweepstakes casinos use two different virtual currencies. Users can buy one of the currencies to play games, but they can also receive bonuses in the second currency, which they can redeemed for cash prizes.

In the best sweepstakes casinos, you can buy Gold Coins you can use for playing casino games with. Gold Coins have no monetary value, and you can use them for winning more of them in the games only. However, when you buy Gold Coins, you will receive Sweeps Coins as a bonus. Users can accumulate Sweeps Coins in many other ways, such as through site giveaways and even by asking for them by writing the site directly. You can play Sweeps Coins in a casino and win more of them to swap for cash prizes as you wish.

Charitable gambling –Legal

Charitable gambling is restricted to raffles and bingo games. Both are allowed only when run by specific organizations, namely tax-exempt schools, churches, nonprofits, and civic entities. These organizations must use the revenue from raffles and bingo games for educational and charitable purposes only. Only when these institutions meet all the mentioned requirements can they apply for licenses.

Bingo – legal only when charitable and run by certain organizations –Legal

The situation with bingo in the Empire State of the South is the same as with charitable gambling since it is of the same type. Only certain organizations like the ones allowed to run charitable raffles – tax-exempt schools, nonprofits, churches, and civic entities are eligible to run bingo. Bingo Halls are usually operated by or affiliated with a nonprofit organization or other qualified entities. They are obliged to follow various regulations such as:

• record-keeping
• licensing
• reporting to state authorities

In Georgia, Bingo Halls are often ran by diverse institutions, including the American Legion, Rotary Club, Moose & Elks, Knights of Columbus, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Fraternal Orders, and Kiwanis. Charitable gambling and bingo are among the few legal options gambling in Georgia otherwise known for its restrictive policies.