Online CasinosGeorgia

Georgia has one of the least developed gambling industries in the USA, so itā€™s no wonder why online casinos are illegal. As we canā€™t dedicate this guide to recommending the best online casinos Georgia has to offer, weā€™ve instead covered the laws and available gambling options. Weā€™ve also discussed how a legal market could look in the future.

  • Laws for Georgia online casinos gambling
  • Overview of legal Georgia gambling options
  • The future of online casinos in Georgia
  • 0 Legal Online Casinos
  • 0 Legal Land Based Casinos
  • 0 Legal Social Casinos
  • 0 Legal Bingo / Lottery Games
  • Responsible Gaming
  • Georgia Bureau of Investigation

Georgia Online Gambling Laws

According to the Georgia Code, gambling is considered to be a criminal activity. The code offers one of the most detailed definitions of gambling in the country to ensure that this can not be misinterpreted. For this reason, there are very few legal gambling options available, and land-based and online casino gambling is not one of them.

One of the biggest challenges to the expansion of the industry is that voters must approve of gambling legalization as it requires a change to the state constitution. As a state with a highly conservative constituency, it may be some time before online casinos are launched. In any case, you can track any changes in legislation.

Options For Legal Online Gambling Georgia

Many states offer legal real money online gambling in the form of sports betting and daily fantasy sports (DFS). While lawmakers are continuing to try to create a legal sports betting market, DFS is already tolerated by lawmakers. This is not to say that itā€™s entirely legal, but players will not be prosecuted for signing up with major operators.

Surprisingly enough, online gambling Georgia is also possible through its lottery website. The state is one of only a few that offers digital lottery games that are similar to scratch cards, bingo, and even slots. As horse race betting and online poker is illegal in Georgia, you are unable to bet on these types of activities online.


The History of Gambling in Georgia

Georgia outlawed all forms of gambling in 1878 after unregulated gambling ran rampant through the state for almost a century. It wasnā€™t until 1976 that charitable raffles and bingo were legalized on the grounds that organizers could not profit money. In 1992, a state lottery was established to raise funds for education and it continues to be managed by the Department of Revenue.

Since its inception, the Georgia lottery has raised over $20 billion for its scholarship program, and proponents of expanded gambling argue that these activities too could raise more revenues. That said, a bill seeking to legalize land-based casinos in 2012 was shot down, while bills seeking to legalize sports betting and DFS have stagnated in legislative purgatory.


Important Events in US Federal Gambling History

Although US states are free to determine which gambling activities are legal, the federal government has created broad gambling laws for those who havenā€™t addressed certain issues. There are a number of bills that have outlawed online gambling that Georgia too must follow until it legalizes it. Below are the US states that have legal online casinos and licenses:

The Wire Act of 1961

The Federal Wire Act of 1961 was created to outlaw interstate sports betting through telephone lines in an effort to cut off the revenues of criminal organizations. Since its inception, different administrations have interpreted it to mean that this also prohibits online sports betting. Due to the absence of Georgia online gambling laws, this too applies to Georgia.


Black Friday: The End of Online Poker

The Black Friday event of 2011 refers to when the three largest online poker sites were shut down by the US Department of Justice. The sites were guilty of knowingly accepting US players despite the fact that online gambling was outlawed by the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006.

In addition to ending the 2000s poker boom, the act also clarified that there would be no legal Georgia online casinos without the state constitution being changed. While itā€™s taken some time, the online casinos industry is just beginning to gain steam in the US, and gambling expansion proponents see it as one of the final frontiers.


Popular Online Casino Games in Legal US States

An expanded online casino market could draw in plenty of revenues and player interest in Georgia if the five states in the USA with legal online casino gambling are to go by. States such as New Jersey and Pennsylvania are already generating close to $100 million in revenues a month from these games. As Georgia doesnā€™t have a land-based casino industry to go by, we can only assume what local players will gravitate towards, with the main attractions likely to be online slots, blackjack, and roulette. We have explored which are the most popular games to play in states where online casinos are legal:

Online Blackjack

Georgiaā€™s broad definition of gambling specifically mentions the illegality of in-person and online blackjack, meaning that there are no legal blackjack options in Georgia. This means that many locals will be unfamiliar with this casino classic. Essentially, blackjack requires you to get closer to 21 points than the dealer without exceeding the value.

Online blackjack has become a very popular gambling option in states with legal online casino gambling. We would highly recommend giving it a shot if online blackjack in Georgia is legalized, as the game has the highest return to player rate of all casino games. Online versions also facilitate side bets and multiple hands.

Online Roulette

As you could have guessed, roulette too is specifically outlawed in the state of Georgia. While most people would have come across roulette in films and television, many might not understand how exciting the game can really be. Even better, there are several great variants developed for play at legal online casinos.

In states such as Pennsylvania and West Virginia, players can wager on popular versions such as Turbo Roulette, low-limit 20c Roulette, American, and European Roulette. These too have a high return to player rates and can appeal to all budgets. Even better, you can play with real-life dealers through live dealer platforms.

Online Slots

Slot machines are illegal in Georgia. In any case, slots are the most popular casino game in the world, and will always make up the majority of a casinoā€™s game offerings. This would also apply to online casinos in Georgia if they were legal, as there are an endless amount of themes to try.

In legal states, players have access to hundreds of unique slots from some of the worldā€™s best developers. These include adaptations of popular bands, TV shows, comic books, and movies. There are also games with linked progressive jackpots such as Divine Fortune and games that offer bets from as little as 1c per spin.

Online Poker

Georgia considers poker to be a game of chance and so it is illegal, no matter whether itā€™s played in-person or online. If online poker in Georgia was legalized though, players would be able to enjoy everything from video games against computers to thrilling events against other real-life players.

There would be many perks to online poker in Georgia. Firstly, you will always be able to find single cash games or tournaments . There are also plenty of different buy-in levels to appeal to different playersā€™ budgets, and there are several variants to try such as Texas Holdā€™em, and Omaha.

Land-Based Casinos in Georgia

While there are technically no land-based casinos in Georgia, there is one riverboat casino. This picks visitors up for a night of casino gambling and offers games such as slots, roulette, blackjack, poker, and craps on its two-story gaming floor. Of course, there is also live entertainment and dining to make the experience even more enjoyable.
Georgia Land-Based Casinos Overview
Fred Williams Author and Casino Expert
Emerald Princess Casino šŸ’ 250 slot machines, šŸƒ 20 table games

Comparisons of Land-Based and Online Casinos

In the unlikely event that land-based and online casino gambling in Georgia were legalized, you may wonder which option is better. We would argue that both have their own individual perks. For example, land-based casinos offer a more immersive and social experience, including live entertainment, dining, and facilities for high-rollers.

Online casinos will usually offer a wider variety of slot themes and betting options, while table games are also more economically accessible. New games can be easily released on to the platforms, and there are also frequent promotions. While the biggest disadvantage could be delayed withdrawal times, there are also more payment methods available.


The Future of Georgia Online Casinos

When it comes to casino gambling, there has never been overwhelming public support for expansion. This is important, as Georgians usually need to approve all changes to gambling law through a referendum. For this reason, we donā€™t think it will be any time soon before we can recommend the best Georgia online casinos to you.

The Future of Gambling in Georgia

While it looked as though 2021 could be the year for online sports betting in Georgia, hopes have been dashed after a sports betting bill failed to pass through the House of Representatives. The failed bill was set to place 20% taxes on betting revenues and charge high licensing fees to mobile operators.

Like Tennessee, there would be no land-based sports betting available. One of the biggest hurdles to the change in Georgiaā€™s online gambling laws is its fractured government, which remains distracted by heated debates regarding voting issues. Itā€™s expected another bill will be introduced in 2022, so time will tell whether the move can generate bipartisan support.


Conclusion: No Legal Online Casinos Georgia

Until new laws are introduced to legalize casino gambling in Georgia, there are no legal online casinos to sign up to. Some may want to sign up with offshore online sites, though we recommend against this. The only way to gamble safely online is to play with regulated sites. Itā€™s unlikely that the laws will change any time soon. However, if online sports betting passes, it may introduce the idea to voters and inspire a move to create online casinos in Georgia. For the time being, the closest state that Georgians can travel to and try online casinos is West Virginia.

Georgia is one of the least gambling-friendly states in the USA. We donā€™t expect online casinos Georgia to launch in the near future.
Fred Williams Author and Casino Expert

FAQs About Georgia Online Casinos

If you still have questions about a real money online casino Georgia, keep reading. In this upcoming section, weā€™ve answered commonly asked questions about online gambling in Georgia and the likelihood of online casinos opening in the future. Due to the lack of clear legislation legalizing or proscribing online casinos Georgia, residents and outsiders have many unanswered questions. As state legislators push to introduce forms of online gambling such as sports betting, residents all over the state want to know where they can play online games. The following are some of the likely FAQs for those wishing to carry out online gambling in Georgia.

šŸ¤” Are online casinos legal in Georgia?
No, online casinos are not legal in Georgia. In fact, the stateā€™s state's laws are extremely detailed in what constitutes illegal gambling and make several references to gambling on video devices such as computers. Furthermore, there are technically no land-based casinos in Georgia as well.
šŸƒ What forms of online gambling are legal in Georgia?
There are couple of legal online gambling options in Georgia. These include the lottery and daily fantasy sports. Daily fantasy sports are only tolerated by lawmakers rather than explicitly legal, though players can use major operators without fear of prosecution. The lottery offers plenty of digital games including draws, scratch cards, bingo, and slot-like titles.
šŸˆ Is online sports betting also illegal in Georgia?
Yes, sports betting is illegal in GA. That said, this may change in the future. In 2021, a bill seeking to legalize mobile sports betting passed the Senate but failed to pass through the House of Representatives. It is expected that another bill will be introduced in 2022.
šŸ‘® What is the penalty for online gambling in Georgia?
Anyone found guilty of illegal gambling in Georgia will be charged with a misdemeanor. These convictions can incur a fine of up to $1,000 or up to one year in prison. Georgia has a long history of gambling intolerance, so we would never risk participating in unauthorized gambling activities in the state.