Efforts for the legalization of Las Vegas-style casino gambling in Georgia will likely be relaunched during the upcoming state legislative session. State Sen. Brandon Beach, a staunch gambling expansion supporter, has previously indicated that he would make another push to convince fellow lawmakers that casinos and horse race track could close an important budget gap, a solution to which has been sought for years now.
The Georgia Legislature is set to convene on Monday, January 9. It is expected that a new gambling expansion bill will be put on the table in the early days of the 2017 legislative session. According to different reports, it will include provisions for the legalization of both casinos and horse racing tracks within the state’s borders.
Gambling is a topic that has been the subject of discussions over the years but has never gained much momentum in the Georgia Legislature. Sen. Beach has previously pushed for the legalization of certain gambling facilities, including horse racing tracks, but without much success. The potential introduction of a bill sponsored by him will probably meet staunch opposition in the Legislature.
However, Sen. Beach has explained that his proposal would provide a solution to a problem his fellow lawmakers have been struggling with for years now. If the establishment of casinos and horse racing venues is legalized, a great amount of the money contributed by those in tax revenue to the state will go for education.
HOPE (Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally) is a scholarship program created in Georgia to reward college and university students with financial assistance. The program has formerly covered 100% of eligible students’ tuition fees. Currently, it pays for around 70% of tuition. HOPE is fully funded by the state Lottery. However, Sen. Beach and other gambling expansion proponents have repeatedly pointed out that casinos and horse racing tracks may, too, back the program financially, if legalized.
If a gambling expansion measure is passed in the Georgia Legislature during the 2017 legislative session, it should then be voted by residents. This can happen no earlier than 2018 when the question can be put on a statewide ballot.
Sen. Beach’s proposal will allow for the construction of up to 5 casinos and one horse racing venue in the state. Interested operators will be able to apply for a primary license for the construction and operation of a casino resort in the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport area. The license will require that its holder makes a minimum investment of $1 billion in the property.
Gambling operator MGM Resorts International, which recently opened a $1.4-billion integrated resort in Maryland, has previously revealed that Georgia is a market they have been eying, one they believe holds great potential, if opened.
