The Georgia House Study Committee on Gaming heard from a series of experts Monday as it continues to weigh whether or how to enact legal gambling.
Chaired by Watkinsville Republican state Rep. Marcus Wiedower, the committee is studying gambling legalization. Speakers analyzed how gaming would impact the state’s economy, workforce development, the environment, and crime rates if approved by the people of Georgia in next year’s General Election.
Former North Carolina state Rep. and current partner with The Southern Group, Jason Saine, has experience in the matter. Speaking during the meeting, he discussed his role in legalizing gambling in North Carolina through his own sponsored legislation, particularly with online and in-person sports betting, and pari-mutuel horse race wagering.
“We took a very intentional approach to discussing sports betting,” Saine said. “I put into the bill … age verification, addiction funding, so we satisfied folks worried about people who might be problem gamblers, and it passed the House 66 to 45.”
Saine said before North Carolina’s legalization, gamblers were placing bets through third-party sites in Europe, while around $4 billion was being lost offshore. From the very first day sports betting went online in the state, approximately 370,000 people signed up.
North Carolina set its tax rate at 18%, while adding protections, including a ban on youth sports betting. The bill also included penalties for violating the law. In North Carolina now, participants are required to be at least 21 years old. Protections for tribal lands and Native American-owned casinos were also implemented.
In its first year, revenue for North Carolina was projected to hit $64 million, which was eclipsed by the $116 million actually collected.
“Georgia could see similar surges,” Saine said. “Our state’s very similar, population’s very similar. I think you would see something very similar to that if you did adopt sports betting.”
Approximately half of all gambling revenue goes to North Carolina’s General Revenue fund, while the state’s universities, youth sports, and addiction treatments are also supported by tax revenues.
Jay Albanese, professor and criminologist at the Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at the Virginia Commonwealth University, offered a perspective on how casino gambling impacts crime and public safety.
Large jurisdictions will always have crime, according to Albanese, but that doesn’t always translate to a higher crime rate. He further noted the average age of people accessing casinos is around 42, an age demographic not generally known for street crimes.
Albanese said the crime impact question focuses more on the security of patrons in and around casinos, including hotels, parking, and street safety. Casino buyers are often willing to invest in security measures.
Most empirical studies on casino effects show no impact on local crime rates, while only 22% of studies account for growth in the size of police departments after a casino has been erected.
Data shows the increase in reported crime is largely to do to an increased police presence rather than an increase in crime itself. Other factors include the demographics of area population, income levels of patrons, and the availability of competing forms of entertainment, according to Albanese.
Josh Swissman, founding partner and Managing Director of GMA Consulting, offered information on potential revenue impacts from each type of gaming in Georgia, as well as the ethical and public policy considerations.
Commercial casinos create a recurring average of 1,700 jobs per casino with an average salary of $62,000. Larger casino resorts can support anywhere from 3,000 to 10,000 jobs. Overall tax revenue from sports betting totaled $2.8 billion in 2024, however, job creation tied to sports betting isn’t as high as a physical casino, according to Swissman.
“Casinos serve as a great mechanism … in terms of capturing consumer spending that might otherwise cross state borders into adjacent states or beyond,” Swissman said. “They also do a great job of attracting out-of-state patrons with out-of-state dollars and out-of-state tax revenue potential into the state of Georgia, and that becomes especially true for facilities that are placed in the right jurisdictions and are developed the appropriate way.”
Christopher Gordon, President of Wynn Development for Wynn Resorts, said luxury casinos such as Wynn Resorts are subject to a rigorous regulatory environment, so the impact from gaming has been largely positive.
He noted, however, that in order to make gambling succeed, there needs to be a limited number of licenses issued, as well as a reasonable tax rate for both the state and gambling businesses.
Gordon further pointed out that licenses need to be extended for a long period of time to encourage investment over several years or decades. He said casino developments are more successful if there are enough potential customers.
“In a regional casino you will have most of the customers come within probably a 50- or 60-mile radius,” Gordon said. “So, you have to figure out who those people are, what’s the income level, what’s the propensity to game, is there a big tourist market here?”
Gordon said large luxury casinos also drive-up revenue for surrounding businesses, and the environmental impact is also carefully measured. Gordan boasted that when a site is being built, Wynn works to clean the surrounding environment.
The committee also heard from several experts on geofencing, gaming data, and fantasy sports coalitions who are currently operating in Georgia.
Further discussions on the industry will be held at a later date, Wiedower said.
