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Could Soap Box Derby Be The Key To Georgia’s Quest for Legal Sports Betting?

Flores Brian

Updated as of March 23, 2023 at 9:17 AM EDT • Read time: 2 minutes and 33 seconds. For more information, visit our Twitter and Google News links.

AKRON, OH – JULY 22: Phillip Snellings, 15, of Fredericksburg, Virginia waits with his car handler before racing his Dale Earnhardt painted car at the 69th All American Soap Box Derby on July 22, 2006 in Akron, Ohio. (Photo By Gregory Shamus/Getty Images for Levi Strauss Signature)

Several sports betting bills were introduced during the 2023 Georgia legislative session, but none of them made it past the March 7 crossover date deadline for a bill to be passed through the state’s chambers and signed into law.

Nevertheless, House Speaker Jon Burns, a prominent Republican in Georgia, suggested on March 9 that there is still a possibility for sports betting legislation to be approved this year. He emphasized that his constituents are open to considering all options until the full 40-day legislative session comes to an end.

His chamber did not address HB 380, a bill that proposed legalizing online sports betting in Georgia with a 30% tax rate. SB 57, SB 172, and SR 140 were also rejected by the Senate.

Just days after Burns’ remarks, an unexpected source has reignited the push to legalize sports betting in Georgia.

The Senate Economic Development and Tourism Committee decided to change the content of HB 237, which initially aimed to designate the Southeast Georgia Soap Box Derby as the official soap box derby in Georgia, to instead focus on legalizing sports betting in the state.

During their meeting on March 16, the committee voted 8-1 to advance the bill with the new language.

I want to reiterate that a Senate Committee, comprised of elected officials, deliberately added Georgia sports betting provisions to a bill that was meant to highlight the importance of a specific soap box derby event, which plays a crucial role in the state’s operations.

The committee intended to include details about the soap box derby in HB 237, but Rep. Leesa Hagan, the bill’s original sponsor, requested that her language on the subject be removed. Hagan expressed her concern about associating the soap box derby with sports betting, calling the decision by some of her colleagues perplexing.

So, that’s the story, everyone. Legalizing sports betting in Georgia was sparked by a soap box derby event, happening in real life rather than a scripted television show.

What if this bill somehow passes?

Although HB 237’s origins may be unconventional, it has now been equipped with the necessary components to successfully legalize and regulate sports betting in Georgia through a specific framework.

  • Up to 16 licenses for online
  • Untethered operators and the operator partnered with the Lottery would pay $750,000 annually with a $100,000 application fee for their licenses, and the sports organizations would pay $1 million annually with the same $100,000 price tag for their application fees
  • Wagering would be taxed at a 22% tax rate
  • There would be no retail sports betting component
  • No constitutional amendment would be required to implement

Does the bill actually stand a chance?

Opinions on HB 237 vary, with some believing it is dead in the water while others argue it is still making waves.

Senate Vice Chairman Sen. Mike Dugan vehemently opposed the bill’s new DNA provision, stating that it would set sports betting back five years. He expressed doubt that the bill would pass on the floor and criticized the potential damage it could cause to the sports betting industry.

There is no need for additional context.

Senators Brandon Beach and Derek Mallow spearheaded the push to include Georgia sports betting language in this bill. Beach mentioned receiving backing from Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, the Senate leader. Should HB 237 be approved by the Senate, it would need to return to the House for approval of the modifications. The bill had previously passed through the House with unanimous support, with a vote of 168-0 when first introduced by Hagan.

The Georgia legislative session is set to wrap up on March 29, so be prepared for some exciting developments.

Written By:
Flores Brian
Grant is a former junior B ice hockey player, and a current believer that the Washington Capitals’ aging core still has another Cup run left in the tank. Grant’s owned and operated his own marketing agency since shortly after graduating from Virginia Tech in 2014. He pursued the profession because he figured it’d be a great way to get paid to do something he loves to do, write. After years of hammering puck lines and leading his fantasy football league as Commissioner, Grant started writing about sports betting and the casino gaming industry in 2021 and hasn’t looked back.