Can You Bet Online In Georgia

Bet Royal is your first choice when it comes to NFL Betting, NCAA Betting, Horse Betting, Hockey Betting, and MMA Betting. Sportsbook options plus a whole lot more! If you love online casino gambling and enjoy making money in every bet, then BetRoyal is the number one source where you will find all the online gaming action you seek. You have complete control over your bet slip and can make your own constructed multi-tier bet with compatible wagers whenever you would like. The live-game betting is fantastic with DraftKings. This is where the experience that DraftKings has with online platforms really shines. But, you are technically allowed to bet on sports online. Online sportsbooks are a great option for Georgian residents because they’re simple, easy to use, and available from any computer or smartphone. The gambling laws in Georgia predate the internet, so there is no mention of online gambling.

TwinSpires is not accessible from Georgia. However, many offshore racebooks are available to those living in Georgia for betting on the Kentucky Derby. Can I Bet on Twinspires Online From Georgia.

Home » US Poker Laws – State by State Reviews » Georgia Gambling & Poker Laws

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April 30th, 2018 Last updated on January 6th, 2021
Georgia Gambling & Poker Laws
Last Updated January 6, 2021

If you’re in Georgia and interested in learning more about how to play online poker from the state, you’ve found what you’re looking for. This comprehensive guide to Georgia and online poker will walk you through the basics of playing at poker sites in GA, provide some context and background regarding the state’s general approach to gambling and survey what’s ahead for online poker players from Georgia.

If you had to pick one word to describe gambling laws in GA, I would suggest something like “strict.”

Without a law on the books that specifically deals with poker games played online, fully understanding Georgia law as it applies to online poker requires the skills of a trained legal professional.

However, if you’re only looking for a quick summary of the important parts of Georgia poker law that could pertain to online games, we can help you there.

Recent Gambling Happenings in Georgia

Despite Georgia generally opposing almost every form of gambling within its borders, lawmakers dipped their toes into the sports betting waters in 2019.

A general sports betting bill was introduced into the Georgia House, one that would allow a maximum of 10 sports betting permits (licenses). Any revenue from the industry would be funneled into the same educational fund as does revenue from the Georgia Lottery.

The bill requires legislative and voter approval. There is a chance to get the issue on the 2021 ballot for voters, but the bills hadn’t passed through either legislative chamber by early 2021.

Here’s a complete breakdown of what’s allowed when it comes to gambling in Georgia:

What Forms of Gambling Are Legal in Georgia?

Type/CodeSummary
State Code Section(s)16.12.2
Definition of GamblingGambling: A person commits the offense of gambling when he makes a bet upon the partial or final result of any game or contest or upon the performance of any participant in such game or contest; makes a bet upon the result of any political nomination, appointment, or election or upon the degree of success of any nominee, appointee, or candidate; or plays and bets for money or other thing of value at any game played with cards, dice, or balls.
Definition of BetBet: An agreement that, dependent upon chance even though accompanied by some skill, one stands to win or lose something of value.
Online Poker/GamblingWith no legal casinos in the state, there has been no interest in attempting to legalize online poker or casino games.
Live PokerThere are no live poker rooms in Georgia due to the ban on casinos.
CasinosThe state of Georgia passed a law to ban casinos before the federal IGRA law gave Indian tribes the right to offer casino games on their reservations, so no gaming compacts were ever written.
Sports BettingNo sports betting proposals have been introduced to Georgia lawmakers.
DFSA House bill to legalize and regulate daily fantasy sports was introduced in 2018 but did not pass.
Other Forms of GamblingLottery, bingo, charity raffles.

Is Online Poker Legal in Georgia?

While some poker sites have elected to leave the US market, there are still literally dozens and dozens of sites that will let you play real money poker from Georgia (or nearly any other US state).

Playing poker for money in Georgia is as easy as ordering a DVD from Amazon. Select a room from our list of the top Georgia poker sites. Within minutes you’ll have an account you can use to play poker for real money from the comfort of your computer.

To summarize;

  1. Georgia has a very broad definition of gambling that draws from several distinct parts of the statute. The definition of “bet” and “gambling device” (Section 16-12-20), along with the charge of “gambling” (16-12-21) combine to create a definition of gambling that includes betting on just about any game or event you can imagine.
  2. Poker appears to be included in the definition, as the offense of “gambling” includes betting anything of value on games played with “cards, dice or balls.”
  3. It is a misdemeanor to engage in unregulated gambling in Georgia (16-12-21).
  4. Georgia law also prohibits transmitting information related to bets (16-12-28). Due to lack of relevant case law, it is unclear whether this aspect of Georgia law could apply to playing poker, which does potentially involve information related to bets (as defined under Georgia law)

Georgia anti-gambling law has a lot more to say about the penalties for operating an unregulated gambling business, but the above points are probably the most relevant to a typical poker player trying to get a handle on the basics of online poker and Georgia law.

Will Georgia Regulate Online Poker?

Of all the states in the union, Georgia is probably one of the least likely to regulate online poker (or any form of online gambling). Gambling expansion efforts have proven politically and publicly unpopular, and online gambling would probably face even stiffer resistance than a land-based casino.

The one avenue for regulated online poker in Georgia is if a majority of states adopt online poker under a federal regulatory regime.

In that scenario, online poker would become something similar to the lottery – generally tolerated by the public and viewed as a financial boon by the states.

However, even this scenario is unlikely, especially given the high legislative bar for gambling expansion in Georgia’s constitution.

Georgia Gambling Facts

The state of Georgia has historically taken a conservative approach to gambling. To give you some idea of how the state approaches regulated gambling, consider the fact that the Georgia state lottery wasn’t even created until 1992 – several decades after other US states had adopted the format.

Despite the popularity of the lotto and other forms of gambling – like online poker -in Georgia, the precedent set by state government has been to approach gambling expansion slowly, cautiously and warily.

Can I Bet On Sports Online

Regulated Gambling Options in Georgia

That attitude on the part of both governments and residents has resulted in a pretty meager line up of regulated gambling outlets for those inside Georgia’s borders.

Limited charitable gambling and the state lottery are the sole entrants on Georgia’s list of choices for regulated gambling.

Does Georgia Offer any Online Gambling?

No – the state of Georgia does not regulate online gambling of any type. That means there aren’t any online poker sites or online casinos that can claim to be regulated by Georgia – instead, their license will have been issued by some other government.

Georgia & The Game of Poker

Georgia & The Game of Poker (change to “Famous Georgia Poker Players” and replace all text with the following)

With no casinos – no live poker rooms – in Georgia, people have traditionally become poker players through home games and online poker. The latter was much more prevalent before Black Friday.

Josh Arieh is one of those players who started his poker career long before Black Friday, even before online poker. He was a live player who traveled to nearby states to play cash games and tournaments, then played online poker when at home in Georgia. His poker career includes two WSOP gold bracelets (his first in 1999) and more than $8.1 million in live tournament earnings as of October 2019. He has long been the number one live tournament player from Georgia.

Ankush Mandavia is a relatively new player in poker but learned a lot of his skills playing online poker, as have many others on the Georgia poker list, like Jason DeWitt and Kory Kilpatrick.

The top-ranked players from Georgia, as of 2021, are as follows:

1. Josh Arieh ($8.1 million)
2. Ankush Mandavia ($4.9 million)
3. David Bach ($4.2 million)
4. Jason DeWitt ($3.2 million)
5. Daniel Weinman ($3 million)
6. William Baxter ($2.7 million)
7. Jeff Williams ($2.2 million)
8. John Roveto ($1.6 million)
9. Kory Kilpatrick ($1.2 million)
10. Stephen Nussrallah ($1.2 million)

Sources & Citations For This Article on Georgia Online Poker

Online

There are almost as many Georgia online gambling sites as there are streets named Peachtree. The state may have a conservative stance on various forms of real money gambling, but that doesn’t mean that out-of-state operators don’t accommodate GA players.

Casinos, sportsbooks, and poker rooms are online, and some of them have their virtual doors open to the Peach State. While we wouldn’t recommend trying out just any old site, we’ve identified some reputable ones. The best Georgia gambling sites are all safe and provide a good all-round experience.

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Lottery, raffles, and charity bingo are the big three, but it’s the lottery that opened the door to real money gambling online in Georgia. Since 2012, the “Buy Now” program not only allows for web-based ticket sales but instant win games as well.

Daily fantasy sports has been on and off the table for years. Several bill proposals have looked promising, but the state hasn’t crossed the finish line when it comes to regulated online gambling in Georgia.

We’ve got an ever-changing social and political climate that could prompt future change. But for now, full-blown gambling expansion with specific oversight for GA-based operations will have to wait a bit longer. There are already Georgia online gambling sites that serve the state, they’re just based elsewhere.

If you haven’t done much gambling online in Georgia, how do you find the best place to play?

The good news is that there are some great GA gambling sites, but there are also others that we recommend you steer clear of. You may wonder how you figure out which ones to use when there are so many options. Fortunately, you don’t have to do the legwork.

We’ve got an entire team of experts that take care of that part for you. They’re accustomed to reviewing, rating, ranking, then repeating the process over and over again to maintain our list of the best gambling sites for Georgia.

We have a complete system for ranking real money gambling sites to ensure that we don’t miss anything. We don’t just go through a checklist, but we take a look at reviews, player feedback, ownership, customer service, and our direct experiences with each site.

Rating the Top Gambling Sites for GA

Gambling online in Georgia is similar to other places in the United States in that there are some required player accommodations, particularly when it comes to the money side of things.

So, to compile our list of recommendations, we start with a complete directory of real money gambling sites for Georgia players. Then, the games really begin with an elimination process. If an online casino, sportsbook, or poker room doesn’t have appropriate payment options or there have been documented issues with the operator, it’s crossed off the list.

Can You Bet Online In Georgia Football

There’s an entire list of criteria that’s integral to the review process. Check out some of the main factors we assess below.

  • Welcome bonus offers
  • Other bonuses and promotions
  • Banking options, turnaround time, and fees
  • Licensing and regulation
  • Easy-to-use interface (mobile and desktop)
  • Transparency of terms and conditions
  • Customer service

After compiling all of the information, we create individual reviews, factoring in our overall impressions as well. From there, we compare reviews to come up with the best online gambling sites for GA.

Our recommendations aren’t set in stone, though, as our team does its best to stay on top of changes, new operations, and news from the online gambling industry.

As with most areas, there’s a vast difference between land-based and online gambling in Georgia.

If you want to hop in your car and place some wagers, you’ve got lottery outlets all across the state that are regularly open. Other betting opportunities are more hit-and-miss, though. In Georgia, you can play the lottery, go to a charity bingo game, or buy a raffle ticket, and that’s the extent of things.

A Short History of GA Gambling

Before 1976, nothing was available in the Peach State. Georgia gambling laws even prohibited at-home poker games if money was on the table, even if they were played at low stakes. In the year of the bicentennial, GA finally approved limited in-state gambling (bingo and raffles) as long as it was for fundraising purposes.

In 1993, though, Georgia’s new pride and joy, the education lottery, launched. It’s become one of the most successful in the country. For a state that has shied away from gambling, GA is a trendsetter when it comes to lottery innovations.

The lottery provides regulated real money online gambling in Georgia. In addition to the land-based retailers, an online “Buy Now” program launched in 2012. Not only can you now buy drawing tickets through the website, but GAlottery.com is like a little mini casino.

Digger Games provides interactive games that are like virtual scratch-off tickets. Winning games up to a specific dollar value will payout immediately, though. That’s because deposits and withdrawals are run through a program called iHope, which functions as an e-wallet.

So, the state may not have a conventional approach, but you can’t say that there isn’t legal online gambling in Georgia.

DFS and Sports Betting

Progress has been slow in other areas, though. However, there are legislative efforts to allow for both daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting.

Nothing’s approved yet, but there are enough interest and support to keep the subjects open for public debate.

Aside from the online lottery, which is a state-regulated program, virtual casino, sports betting, and poker are all offered to GA players, but from operators outside the state.

These are the sites that we review, rate, and rank to make sure that you have access to secure and safe online gambling in Georgia.

Summary of Current GA Gambling Laws

  • Casinos: Not legal
  • Sports Betting: Not legal but under consideration
  • Pari-Mutuel: Not legal
  • Poker: Not legal
  • Daily Fantasy Sports: Unspecified, under consideration
  • Lottery: Legal
  • Bingo: Legal, but charity bingo only
  • Online Gambling: State-regulated online lottery and interactive real money games; casino, sports betting, and poker through out-of-area providers

You now know that there are numerous opportunities for you to get in on the action. Additionally, we’ve also provided you with some recommendations for the best Georgia online gambling sites.

However, if you’ve never done any gambling online, you may still want a few pieces of the puzzle filled in for you. After all, we’re talking about gambling for real money, so the more you know, the better your experience.

Your Game of Choice

Most of the options on our main list of Georgia real money gambling sites offer various different betting and gaming options. But if you’re looking for something specific, we’ve narrowed the focus for you with the top sites for each of the main types of gambling.

Before you go any further, though, you’ll want to get your ducks in a row when it comes to your preferred payment options.

If you’re using a credit or debit card, then Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted. But, if you’ve got an AmEx or Discover, your options are more limited.

We always suggest using Bitcoin to gamble online whenever possible. Cryptocurrency makes things a lot easier. You can transfer money into your online account within about 15 minutes, and without a formal approval process by a financial institution.

The convenience goes both ways, as payouts via Bitcoin or another crypto option are also straightforward and speedier. You may even be able to claim a better welcome bonus, too, as some casinos give you a higher deposit match percentage with Bitcoin use.

Bonuses

As far as those bonuses and promotions, we have detailed information that you can read through to familiarize yourself with online incentives. They’re different than in land-based gambling venues, so, at the very least, read the terms and conditions on the site before you accept any offer to make sure you know how to reap the benefits.

Once you have your account funded and you’ve opted in or out of the welcome bonus, things get much more entertaining.

Most sites for gambling online in Georgia typically include slots, table games, video poker, and a few specialty games. But you may also have live dealer tables available. Racebooks and sportsbooks are usually available, and often a poker room. So, from here, it’s a matter of selecting your preferred game and getting the ball rolling.

Regular casino play is against a computer. There are no interactions with other players. That changes if you go into a virtual poker room or a live dealer casino. But, for the most part, you can take your time and dip your toe into the online betting waters, as there’s no pressure to make fast and furious decisions.

Recapping Our GA Gambling Guide

Georgia is far from being on the progressive end of states that embrace real money gambling expansion. There aren’t any in-state casinos and, even though there are proposals, sports betting and DFS are still in the debate stages.

What makes Georgia unique, though, is its lottery. It’s both a land-based and an online program.

So, when it comes to the state-regulated online gambling in Georgia, there’s a virtual lottery with interactive games of chance. Then, there are the best Georgia gambling sites we recommend, that don’t originate from the Peach State but do allow for GA players to participate.