Quick Legal Status
| Field | Status |
|---|---|
| State | Georgia |
| Online Casino Games | Not legal |
| Online Sports Betting | Not legal (no retail sportsbooks either) |
| Online Poker | Not legal |
| Land-Based Casinos | Not legal — no commercial, tribal, or racino facilities |
| Daily Fantasy Sports | Legal in practice / unregulated — major operators accept Georgia players |
| State Lottery | Yes — draw-game online sales via galottery.com (Georgia Lottery Corporation) |
| Charitable Gaming | Legal — non-profit bingo and raffles; licenses issued by county sheriffs |
| Horse Racing Wagering | Not legal — no parimutuel betting; no active parimutuel tracks; no racing commission |
| Minimum Gambling Age | 18 for lottery, charitable bingo/raffles, DFS, and social/sweepstakes casinos. No statutory age for casino gambling or sports betting because those activities are not authorized. |
| Regulatory Body | Georgia Lottery Corporation (lottery + Coin Operated Amusement Machines only) |
| Last Legal Update | 2026 session ongoing — no sports-betting bill has reached a floor vote as of March 9, 2026 (most recent legislative tracking). |
Legal Overview
Georgia is a prohibition state. Under O.C.G.A. Title 16, Chapter 12 (Gambling and Related Offenses) — specifically O.C.G.A. § 16-12-20 et seq. — most forms of gambling are defined as unlawful conduct, and gambling devices are broadly banned. The only legal commercial gambling in the state is the Georgia Lottery, operated under a separate constitutional carve-out; the only legal non-commercial gambling is charitable bingo and raffles operated by qualifying non-profits. Georgia is one of only six U.S. states with no land-based casino gambling of any kind — no commercial casinos, no tribal casinos under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, and no racinos. There are no active parimutuel racetracks.
Because Georgia does not authorize casino-style gambling, the state has never created a gaming commission. Regulatory authority is narrowly held: the Georgia Lottery Corporation (GLC) runs the lottery and, since April 10, 2013, regulates Coin Operated Amusement Machines (COAMs) under O.C.G.A. § 50-27-70 et seq. Charitable bingo and raffle licensing is delegated to county sheriffs — a structural quirk unique to Georgia. There is no state body with enforcement authority over online casinos, online poker rooms, or online sportsbooks, because none are authorized under Georgia law.
The Amendment-vs-Statute Debate
The single most contested legal question in Georgia gambling policy is whether legalizing new forms of commercial gambling — particularly sports betting — requires amending the Georgia Constitution (which would mean a statewide voter referendum in a general election), or whether it can be authorized by an ordinary statute as an expansion of the existing Georgia Lottery.
The anchor is the 1992 constitutional amendment to Article I, Section II, Paragraph VIII of the Georgia Constitution, which carved out a government-run lottery from the state’s general prohibition on gambling. Proponents of the statute-only path argue that sports wagering is a permitted expansion of lottery-administered gaming and can be authorized under existing constitutional authority. Proponents of the constitutional-amendment path argue that any new category of commercial wagering is a substantive expansion of gambling in Georgia and requires the same voter-referendum process that created the lottery in the first place.
This guide takes no position on which reading is correct — both sides have had their arguments litigated in the General Assembly for most of a decade. What matters editorially is that this debate has been the number-one barrier to passage. In 2024, SB 386 passed the Georgia Senate only after an amendment was added requiring a companion constitutional-amendment resolution (SR 579); the House declined to accept that structure and both measures died. The same divide carried into the 2025 and 2026 sessions.
What’s Legal in Georgia
Georgia Lottery (including iLottery draw-game sales). The Georgia Lottery Corporation sells tickets for multi-state draw games (Mega Millions, Powerball), Georgia-specific draw games (Georgia Five, Fantasy 5, Cash 3, Cash 4), and scratch-off instant tickets. Selected draw-game ticket purchases and a rotating lineup of online instant-win games (historically including Diggi Games titles) are available through galottery.com for registered Players Club members age 18 or older.
Charitable bingo and raffles. Qualifying non-profit organizations may conduct bingo and raffles under O.C.G.A. §§ 16-12-22.1, 16-12-50 et seq., and 16-12-58. Licenses are issued by the sheriff of the county in which the activity takes place. Specific dollar limits on prizes and operational rules apply; readers involved in running a charitable game should review the current O.C.G.A. text directly.
Daily Fantasy Sports (legal in practice / unregulated). DFS operates in a gray area in Georgia. No Georgia statute specifically authorizes or prohibits DFS. A 2016 opinion from then-Attorney General Sam Olens questioned whether DFS contests qualify as illegal gambling under state law, but no enforcement action followed and no legislative resolution has passed. In practice, DraftKings, FanDuel, PrizePicks, Underdog, and Fliff all currently accept Georgia players. Operators set their own minimum-age policies, typically 18.
International-waters cruise gaming. The Emerald Princess, departing from Brunswick, Georgia, offers slot machines and table games once the vessel is in international waters (beyond the 3-nautical-mile limit). Gaming is not conducted inside Georgia jurisdiction; the activity relies on the federal Gambling Ship framework rather than Georgia state law. The operator sets a 21+ minimum age. This is a narrow carve-out, not a state-regulated casino.
What’s Not Legal in Georgia
- Online casino games (slots, table games, live dealer). No state-licensed framework exists, and no bill to create one has advanced.
- Online and retail sports betting. Despite bills in every session from 2020 through 2026, none has passed. See “Sports Betting Status” below.
- Online poker. Not authorized. No bill to authorize intrastate online poker has advanced.
- Land-based commercial or tribal casinos. None exist. There are no federally recognized gaming tribes operating in Georgia under IGRA.
- Parimutuel wagering on horse races. Not authorized. Live seasonal racing events do take place, but betting on them is not legal in Georgia.
- Private or unlicensed gambling games — commercial poker rooms, slot parlors outside the COAM Class B framework, and similar activity are prohibited under O.C.G.A. § 16-12-20 et seq.
Regulatory Structure
Georgia has no unified gaming commission. Regulatory authority is fragmented and narrow.
| Agency / Office | Jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Georgia Lottery Corporation (GLC) | Operates the state lottery; regulates Class A and Class B COAMs (since April 10, 2013). Address: 250 Williams Street, Suite 3000, Atlanta GA 30303. Main: 404-215-5000. |
| County sheriffs | Issue and oversee licenses for non-profit charitable bingo and raffles (O.C.G.A. § 16-12-50 et seq.). |
| Georgia Attorney General’s Office | Has issued formal opinions on gambling-related questions, notably the 2016 DFS opinion. No ongoing regulatory role in authorized gambling activity. |
| Georgia General Assembly | Sole legislative authority for any expansion of legal gambling. |
| (None) — state gaming commission | Georgia has no casino or sports-betting regulator because casino and sports wagering are not authorized. |
| (None) — state racing commission | Georgia has no active parimutuel racing program and no racing commission. |
Coin Operated Amusement Machines (COAM)
COAMs are a widely misunderstood category in Georgia. Under O.C.G.A. § 50-27-70 et seq., the Georgia Lottery Corporation regulates two types of COAMs:
- Class A COAMs — pure amusement devices. Typical examples: pinball machines, skee-ball, claw machines, coin-operated pool tables, classic arcade games, jukeboxes, and kiddie rides. Class A machines award no prize beyond the amusement of the play itself.
- Class B COAMs — skill-based redemption devices. These are commonly found in gas stations and convenience stores. Players accumulate points that may be redeemed for store merchandise, in-store credit, or lottery tickets — never for cash. Class B COAMs are not slot machines. They are not online casino games. Payout in cash is illegal under Georgia law; an operator who issues cash payouts is committing a regulatory violation, not running a legal slot parlor.
This distinction matters because the visual experience of a Class B COAM can resemble a slot-style game. Readers should understand that these machines operate under a specific regulatory carve-out that expressly prohibits cash payouts. Anything else is outside Georgia law.
Sports Betting Status in Georgia
Status as of April 2026: Not legal. No retail sportsbooks. No mobile sportsbooks. No licensed operators.
Georgia has debated sports-betting legalization every legislative session since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down PASPA in 2018. No bill has passed.
Key Legislative History
| Session | Notable Vehicle(s) | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | SB 403 | Did not pass |
| 2021 | HB 86; SB 142; SR 135 | Did not pass |
| 2022 | Various | Did not pass (session ended April 4, 2022) |
| 2023 | SB 57; HB 380; SR 140 | Died in session (March 6, 2023 deadline) |
| 2024 | SB 386 + SR 579; SB 172; HB 686 | SB 386 passed Senate with constitutional-amendment requirement added; died in House; session ended March 28, 2024 |
| 2025 | Multiple | “Georgia strikes out again” (March 7, 2025). House formed a Gambling Study Committee; first meeting July 29, 2025 |
| 2026 | Ongoing | As of March 9, 2026 reporting, no bill has reached a floor vote. Verify current status before relying on this summary. |
Legislative Outlook
The 2025 House Gambling Study Committee was formed to prepare groundwork for the 2026 session. As of this writing, that groundwork has not translated into passage. The core obstacle remains the amendment-vs-statute debate described above, layered on top of broader General Assembly disagreement over whether to authorize casinos, horse-race parimutuel wagering, and sports betting together or separately. Readers should check primary sources — legis.ga.gov, LegiScan, or reputable legal-tracking outlets — for the latest status before acting on the information here.
Daily Fantasy Sports
DFS is one of the clearest examples of Georgia’s “legal in practice, unregulated in law” category. There is no statute that authorizes DFS. There is no statute that bans it. The 2016 attorney-general opinion questioning DFS legality under the general gambling statute has never been followed by an enforcement action against a DFS operator, and a 2017 House-passed DFS bill died without Senate action. Additional DFS legislation was debated in 2024 without passage.
In that unresolved environment, major operators — DraftKings, FanDuel, PrizePicks, Underdog, and Fliff among them — continue to accept Georgia players. Operators set their own minimum-age policies; 18 is standard. Because DFS is not licensed in Georgia, there is no state regulator to hear consumer complaints: disputes are handled by the operator’s internal processes or the operator’s licensing jurisdiction elsewhere.
Horse Racing
Live horse racing is legal in Georgia. Parimutuel betting on horse racing is not.
Georgia does not have any permanent parimutuel racetracks. The state hosts seasonal live-racing events — notably the Georgia Steeplechase at Kingston and the Hawkinsville Harness Festival — but no wagering is conducted at these events. There is no state racing commission because there is no active parimutuel program to regulate. Advance-deposit wagering (ADW) on out-of-state races is not authorized, and simulcast betting is not available.
The Georgia Horse Racing Coalition has lobbied for legalization over the past decade. Senate Resolution 131 (2020), along with subsequent efforts, would have opened a path toward parimutuel authorization; none has passed.
Georgia Lottery
The Georgia Lottery was created by a pair of linked actions in 1992: a constitutional amendment to Article I, Section II, Paragraph VIII of the Georgia Constitution approved by voter referendum that November, and the Lottery for Education Act (O.C.G.A. § 50-27) passed by the General Assembly and signed by then-Governor Zell Miller. The Georgia Lottery Corporation began operating on June 29, 1993. Per GLC, the lottery has generated more than $115 billion in net sales over its 32-year operating history and transferred more than $30.6 billion to the state’s Lottery for Education Account.
Net lottery proceeds fund two landmark Georgia education programs:
- The HOPE Scholarship, which covers tuition for qualifying Georgia students at in-state public colleges and universities.
- Georgia’s Pre-K Program, a voluntary universal pre-kindergarten program for four-year-olds.
Current Lottery Offerings
| Game Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Multi-state draw | Mega Millions, Powerball |
| Georgia-only draw | Georgia Five, Fantasy 5, Cash 3, Cash 4 |
| Instant games | Scratch-off tickets (retail) |
| Online | Draw-game ticket sales via galottery.com; select online instant-win titles (historically Diggi Games) for registered Players Club members |
Minimum age for lottery play: 18.
Note: the scope of online instant-win game availability has shifted over time. Readers should check galottery.com for the current lineup.
Charitable Gaming
Qualifying non-profit organizations in Georgia may conduct two forms of charitable gambling: bingo (O.C.G.A. § 16-12-50 et seq.) and raffles (O.C.G.A. §§ 16-12-22.1 and 16-12-58).
Licensing is issued by the sheriff of the county where the activity is conducted — a structure unique to Georgia among U.S. states, most of which centralize charitable-gaming licensing at a state agency. The sheriff reviews the organization’s non-profit status, operational plan, and record-keeping; renewals and reports run through the sheriff’s office.
Statutory prize limits, session limits, and reporting requirements apply and are set in the relevant O.C.G.A. sections. Organizations running charitable games should consult the current statutory text directly.
Minimum age to play charitable bingo or enter a charitable raffle in Georgia: 18.
Sweepstakes and Social Casinos
Sweepstakes and social-casino apps — operators that use a dual-currency model with a free-play “Gold Coin” currency and a promotional “Sweeps Coin” currency redeemable for prizes — have historically accepted Georgia players. Unlike some states that have capped daily prize-redemption amounts or moved against specific operators, Georgia has not passed sweepstakes-specific legislation.
The broader landscape has been volatile through 2025 and into 2026, with several U.S. states moving against sweepstakes models via attorney-general actions, cease-and-desist orders, or new legislation. Readers considering a sweepstakes or social-casino platform should verify the operator’s current Georgia-availability policy directly, and should understand that sweepstakes products are not regulated gambling and do not carry state consumer-protection backing.
Online Casino Gambling — Not Legal
Georgia has not authorized online casino gambling in any form. No bill to create an iGaming framework has advanced in the General Assembly. There is no Georgia-licensed online casino, no Georgia-licensed online slot game, and no Georgia-licensed online live-dealer product. There is no state gaming commission with authority to license or regulate such products.
Offshore Operators and Georgia
A number of offshore online casinos — operators licensed in jurisdictions such as Curaçao, Panama, and Kahnawake — accept players physically located in Georgia. As a prohibition state with no competing regulated online market and no state gaming commission, Georgia falls into the same structural category as Texas and several other states where offshore-platform access is not state-restricted.
| Operator | Accepts GA | License | MCP Rating | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bovada | Yes | Kahnawake Gaming Commission — Tier 3 | 5.9/10 — ★★★ Average | Read Review |
| Wild Casino | Yes | Panama Gaming Commission — Tier 3 | — | Read Review |
| Ignition | Yes | Curaçao eGaming Authority — Tier 2 | — | Read Review |
| Cafe Casino | Yes | Curaçao eGaming Authority — Tier 2 | — | Read Review |
| Slots.LV | Yes | Curaçao eGaming Authority — Tier 2 | 5.8/10 — ★★★ Average | Read Review |
Ratings and bonus terms are current as of April 2026. Visit each review page for the latest details.
Important note. Offshore platforms are not licensed or regulated by Georgia, operate from their own licensing jurisdictions, and are outside any Georgia consumer-protection framework. If you choose to use an offshore platform, we recommend reading our Casino Review Process to understand how we evaluate licensing, complaints history, and responsible-gambling tools.
Online Poker — Not Legal
Online poker is not authorized in Georgia. No bill to create an intrastate online-poker framework has advanced. Georgia has never joined the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (which shares online-poker liquidity between states such as New Jersey, Nevada, and Michigan), and cannot do so without first legalizing online poker at the state level.
Recent Legal Changes and Legislative Outlook
| Year | Event | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | SB 403 (sports betting) | Did not pass |
| 2021 | HB 86 / SB 142 / SR 135 | Did not pass |
| 2023 | SB 57 / HB 380 / SR 140 | Died at Crossover Day |
| 2024 | SB 386 + SR 579 (combined sports-betting + constitutional amendment vehicle) | Senate passed SB 386 with amendment requirement attached; House declined; died |
| 2025 | Sports-betting push | Failed; House Gambling Study Committee formed, first meeting July 29, 2025 |
| 2026 | Session ongoing | As of March 9, 2026, no floor vote scheduled |
The 2026 session is ongoing at the time of this writing. Readers considering action based on specific bill status should verify with legis.ga.gov, LegiScan, or LegalSportsReport before relying on this summary.
Responsible Gambling Resources
If gambling is no longer fun, help is available 24/7. Start with the national helpline — a live, confidential counselor can connect Georgia residents to local and telehealth options.
National Resources
| Organization | Phone | Website | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) | 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738) | ncpgambling.org | 24/7/365 |
| NCPG Text/Chat | Text 800GAM | ncpgambling.org/chat | 24/7/365 |
| National Problem Gambling Helpline | 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) | 1800gamblerchat.org | 24/7/365 |
| 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline | 988 (call or text) | 988lifeline.org | 24/7/365 |
| SAMHSA National Helpline | 1-800-662-4357 | samhsa.gov | 24/7/365 |
| Gamblers Anonymous | (909) 931-9056 (office) | gamblersanonymous.org | Meetings vary (in-person + online) |
| Gam-Anon (family members) | — | gam-anon.org | Meetings vary |
| GamTalk (online peer community) | — | gamtalk.org | 24/7 community |
Georgia-Specific Notes
- Georgia Lottery Player Services: 1-800-GA-LUCKY. This is the Georgia Lottery Corporation’s player hotline for lottery questions (winning numbers, prize claims, retailer issues). It is not a problem-gambling counseling line.
- Georgia Lottery Play Responsibly page — self-exclusion and responsible-play information for lottery activity is maintained at galottery.com.
- At the time of drafting, no consistently reachable Georgia-run state problem-gambling helpline was confirmed. The recommendation for Georgia residents seeking confidential counseling is to start with 1-800-MY-RESET or 1-800-GAMBLER, both of which route callers to the nearest local resources.
For more information, visit our Responsible Gambling Policy.
If gambling is no longer fun, call 1-800-MY-RESET or 1-800-GAMBLER for free, confidential support 24/7.
Minimum Gambling Ages in Georgia
| Activity | Minimum Age | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia Lottery (retail and online) | 18 | Players Club account required for online play |
| Charitable bingo | 18 | Operated by licensed non-profits |
| Charitable raffles | 18 | — |
| Daily Fantasy Sports | 18 | Operator-set; DFS is unregulated in Georgia |
| Social / sweepstakes casinos | 18 | Operator-set |
| Emerald Princess cruise (international waters) | 21 | Operator-set; not Georgia-regulated |
| Commercial casinos | — | Not legal |
| Online casino / online poker | — | Not legal |
| Sports betting (retail or mobile) | — | Not legal |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is online gambling legal in Georgia?
Online casino gambling, online poker, and online sports betting are not legal in Georgia as of April 2026. The only regulated online gambling activity is Georgia Lottery draw-game ticket sales (and a limited lineup of online instant-win titles) through galottery.com for registered Players Club members age 18 or older.
Does Georgia have casinos?
No. Georgia has no commercial casinos, no tribal casinos, and no racinos. It is one of only six U.S. states with no land-based gambling of any kind. The nearest brick-and-mortar casinos are in Florida (Seminole/tribal), Alabama (tribal electronic bingo), and farther out in Mississippi and North Carolina.
What is the minimum gambling age in Georgia?
18 for all legal gambling in Georgia — lottery, charitable bingo and raffles, daily fantasy sports, and social/sweepstakes casino platforms. The Emerald Princess cruise ship is operator-set at 21. There is no statutory minimum age for commercial casino gambling, online casino gambling, or sports betting because those activities are not authorized in Georgia.
Is sports betting legal in Georgia?
No. As of April 2026, neither retail nor online sports betting is legal in Georgia. Bills have been introduced in every session from 2020 through 2026 and none has passed. The most recent significant vehicle, SB 386 (2024), passed the Georgia Senate but died in the House over disagreement about whether sports betting requires a constitutional amendment. The 2026 session is ongoing.
Why has Georgia sports betting kept failing?
The primary obstacle is a legal and political disagreement about whether legalization requires a constitutional amendment (meaning a statewide voter referendum) or can be done by ordinary statute as a Georgia Lottery expansion. The House and Senate have not aligned on that question. Layered on top are disagreements about whether sports betting should be paired with casino or horse-racing legalization. Neither has resolved.
Can I buy lottery tickets online in Georgia?
Yes. Registered Players Club members age 18 or older can purchase draw-game tickets (Mega Millions, Powerball, Georgia Five, Fantasy 5, Cash 3, Cash 4) and play a selection of online instant-win titles through galottery.com.
Is daily fantasy sports legal in Georgia?
DFS operates in a legal gray area. No Georgia statute authorizes or prohibits DFS. A 2016 attorney-general opinion questioned its legality, but no enforcement action followed and a 2017 legalization bill died in the Senate. Major operators — DraftKings, FanDuel, PrizePicks, Underdog, and Fliff — accept Georgia players. Operators set their own minimum-age policies, typically 18.
Can I bet on horse races in Georgia?
No. Parimutuel wagering is not legal in Georgia, and there are no active parimutuel racetracks. Live seasonal racing events take place (the Georgia Steeplechase at Kingston and the Hawkinsville Harness Festival, among others), but no betting is conducted at them. Advance-deposit wagering on out-of-state races is also not authorized.
Are COAMs in gas stations the same as slot machines?
No. Class B Coin Operated Amusement Machines in Georgia are skill-based redemption devices regulated by the Georgia Lottery Corporation. They may look similar to slot machines visually, but by law they cannot pay cash — winnings are redeemable only for store merchandise, in-store credit, or Georgia Lottery tickets. Any machine paying cash out of the COAM framework is operating illegally.
Can I use Bovada in Georgia?
Bovada currently accepts Georgia players. Bovada is not licensed or regulated in Georgia — it operates from Kahnawake. Because Georgia has no gaming commission with enforcement authority over online gambling operators, there is no state-level consumer-protection framework for offshore play. Readers should review our Casino Review Process before using any offshore platform.
Is the Emerald Princess casino cruise legal?
The Emerald Princess conducts gambling only once the vessel reaches international waters (beyond the 3-nautical-mile limit). The activity operates under the federal Gambling Ship framework, not Georgia state law. Georgia has not passed legislation banning it. It is not a Georgia-regulated casino.
Who regulates gambling in Georgia?
The Georgia Lottery Corporation (GLC) regulates the state lottery and, since April 10, 2013, Coin Operated Amusement Machines (Class A and Class B). County sheriffs regulate charitable bingo and raffles in their jurisdictions. Georgia has no state gaming commission and no state racing commission. Because most commercial gambling activities are not authorized in Georgia, there is no state regulator for them.
Where do lottery proceeds go?
Net Georgia Lottery proceeds are transferred to the state’s Lottery for Education Account and fund two landmark programs: the HOPE Scholarship (college tuition support for qualifying Georgia students) and Georgia’s Pre-K Program (universal voluntary pre-kindergarten for four-year-olds). According to the GLC, the lottery has generated more than $115 billion in net sales and transferred more than $30.6 billion to education since beginning operations in 1993.
Related Guides
- USA Online Casinos — state hub — all state guides and site-wide gambling law overview
- Florida Gambling Guide — neighbor state; active tribal-casino compact; parimutuel
- Texas Gambling Guide — prohibition state; no legal online gambling
- Illinois Gambling Guide — legal mobile sports betting; VGTs; iLottery
- Casino Review Process
- Responsible Gambling Policy
This guide provides general information about Georgia gambling law as of April 2026. It is not legal advice. Gambling laws change frequently — readers should verify current status with primary sources (legis.ga.gov, O.C.G.A., the Georgia Lottery Corporation, and reputable legal trackers) before acting on any information here.
Last verified: 2026-04-23
