Georgia State Representative Matt Hatchett has once again submitted the HB 910 bill, advocating for the legalization of sports betting, a proposal that has been under discussion for years and has regained attention in the 2026 legislative cycle. Although the expectations for the bill's passage remain low, supporters firmly believe in its economic value, especially against the backdrop of other states expanding their compliant gambling scale. The bill plans to include online sports betting under the regulation of the Georgia State Lottery Corporation, issuing 18 licenses, with the core attraction focused on increased tax revenue, tourism stimulation, and job creation. Relevant economic impact cases and data on sports betting can be referenced on the PASA official website. Below, through quantitative analysis, we will see how much tangible economic benefit the bill could bring if implemented.
Tax Contribution: A "New Source of Revenue" Potentially Exceeding $300 Million Annually
The tax design of the HB 910 bill is clear, with potential income estimated from two parts:
License-related income: Each license application fee is $100,000 (non-refundable), with an annual fee of $1.5 million, contributing a stable annual license income of $27 million, and a one-time increase of $1.8 million during the application phase;
Gambling revenue tax: The bill sets a 25% tax rate on adjusted total betting revenue. Based on data from similar states in the US, assuming that Georgia's online gambling revenue reaches $1.2 billion annually, it could generate an additional $300 million in tax revenue each year.
Combined, the implementation of the bill could bring more than $327 million in direct revenue to the state's finances annually, which could be used for public services or tourism promotion, creating a virtuous cycle.
Tourism Synergy: Leveraging an Additional $4 Billion in Consumption
Georgia's tourism expenditure reached $42.2 billion in 2024, and the HB 910 bill is expected to act as a "catalyst" for the tourism industry:
Drawing on North Carolina's successful experience of using gambling revenue to attract major events, if Georgia invests some of the gambling tax revenue in bidding for events, it is expected to add 2-3 top sports events or large concerts, each driving $150-200 million in tourism consumption;
Sports betting will attract players from neighboring states to cross-state consumption, estimated at an average of $800 per visit (including accommodation, dining, shopping), potentially adding $400 million in tourism revenue if it attracts 500,000 cross-state players annually;
Local players' related consumption is also significant, expected to drive an additional $1 billion in revenue for the dining, entertainment, and related industries.
Overall, the implementation of the bill could bring an additional $1.5-2 billion in consumption to the tourism industry, boosting total tourism revenue by 3.5%-4.7%.
Job Creation: Generating Over 12,000 Direct and Indirect Jobs
The employment impact of the sports betting industry covers the entire chain, which can be divided into three categories:
Direct employment: Local teams of 18 licensed operators (operations, risk control, customer service, etc.), each expected to employ 50-80 people, creating a total of 900-1440 direct jobs;
Indirect employment: Event hosting, venue operations, tourism services, and related industries are expected to drive 8000-9000 jobs;
Derived employment: Third-party services related to gambling, such as technical support and marketing promotion, are expected to add 2000-2500 jobs.
Overall, the implementation of the bill is expected to create 12,000 - 14,000 jobs in Georgia, with about 60% being low-threshold positions, effectively alleviating local employment pressure.
————
This article is from "PASA-Global iGaming Leader" gambling industry news channel:https://t.me/pasa_news
Original in-depth gambling channel:https://t.me/gamblingdeep
Free data reports: @pasa_research
PASA Matrix: @pasa002_bot
PASA official website: https://www.pasa.news
