Georgia Online Gambling
Georgia is one of the nation’s most restrictive online gambling environments. With the notable exception of the state lottery, no form of online gambling in Georgia is explicitly legal and regulated.
Instead, the only Georgia online gambling options available today are of the tolerated but not necessarily legal variety. For example, Georgia law does not expressly authorize daily fantasy sports or sweepstakes casinos, but both are widely accessible.
Continue below for a straightforward Georgia online gambling explainer. We explain what’s legal (or at least available), what’s not, and how to play online safely in Georgia.
Legal Georgia Gambling Sites
21+ and present in GA. T&Cs Apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-522-4700.
Georgia Online Gambling Overview
| Type of Gambling (minimum age) | Legal Status | Notes |
| Online Casinos (n/a) | Illegal | Prohibited under O.C.G.A § 16-12-21 |
| Sweepstakes Casinos (18+) | Legal/Unregulated | Operates in a legal gray area under sweepstakes laws |
| Online Poker (n/a) | Illegal | Prohibited under O.C.G.A. § 16-12-21(a)(3) as a game played with cards for money. |
| Online Sports Betting (n/a) | Illegal | Prohibited under O.C.G.A. § 16-12-21(a)(1); repeated legislative efforts to legalize have failed. |
| Daily Fantasy Sports (18+) | Legal/Unregulated | Legal gray area; “not authorized” by a 2016 informal AG opinion but not prohibited |
| Fantasy Pick ’em Contests (18+) | Legal/Unregulated | Same as DFS; widely available via operators like Atlanta-based PrizePicks |
| Online Lottery Sales (18+) | Legal/Regulated | Official GA Lottery app and website offer online sales and e-instants |
| Online Horse Racing (n/a) | Illegal | Georgia law does not authorize pari-mutuel wagering |
Georgia Online Casinos
Online casinos are illegal in Georgia.
State law contains broad prohibitions against gambling that effectively outlaw real-money online casinos in Georgia.
The primary statute, O.C.G.A. § 16-12-21, makes it a crime to “play and bet for money or other thing of value at any game played with cards, dice, or balls”. This language covers virtually all traditional casino games, from blackjack and roulette to online slots.
Relevant Laws and Penalties
Georgia law defines a “bet” under O.C.G.A. § 16-12-20 as “an agreement that, dependent upon chance even though accompanied by some skill, one stands to win or lose something of value”.
Unlike some states, where the law focuses on operators, Georgia online gambling laws contain penalties for players and illegal online gambling operations:
- For Players: An individual who commits the offense of gambling is guilty of a misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to 12 months in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000.
- For Operators: A person who “operates or participates in the earnings of a gambling place” or “receives, records, or forwards a bet” is committing the offense of commercial gambling under O.C.G.A. § 16-12-22. This is a felony offense, carrying a penalty of one to five years in prison and/or a fine not to exceed $20,000.
Legalization Outlook
The prospect of legalizing online casinos in Georgia is poor.
There is no legislative momentum, and no serious bills to authorize online casino gaming have been introduced or debated in the General Assembly.
All recent discussions regarding gambling expansion in the state have been narrowly focused on the potential legalization of sports betting.
Sweepstakes Casinos in Georgia
Sweepstakes casinos operate in a legal gray area in Georgia.
Sweepstakes casinos operate in Georgia under federal sweepstakes law. They use a “no purchase necessary” model that allows players to claim free credits and play games for a chance at redeemable prizes. Because players do not have to risk money directly, sweepstakes casinos avoid Georgia’s gambling ban.
Well-known sweepstakes casinos, such as WOW Vegas, LuckyBird.io, and Fortune Coins, accept players from Georgia. They provide slot-style games, table games, and social play options.
What Players Should Know
Sweepstakes casinos are unregulated in Georgia. That means the state provides no oversight of game fairness, payouts, or dispute resolution.
Outcomes are governed by company rules rather than state regulations. The lack of oversight makes it critical for players to choose reputable operators.
Additionally, players should know that the operational landscape for sweepstakes casinos has been volatile in recent years.
In early 2025, several prominent operators, including McLuck and Hello Millions, ceased operations in Georgia due to perceived legal risks.
However, McLuck Casino returned to Georgia in August 2025 after a federal court dismissed a class action lawsuit filed in Georgia against VGW, the parent company of Chumba Casino, Global Poker, and LuckyLand Slots.
This sequence of events demonstrates that the availability of sweepstakes casinos in Georgia is unstable, and access to specific operators can change quickly.
Georgia Online Poker
Online poker is illegal in Georgia.
Georgia’s gambling laws explicitly prohibit placing wagers “for money” on “any game played with cards,” which applies directly to online poker. The relevant statute, O.C.G.A. § 16-12-21(a)(3), makes no distinction between poker and other casino games.
For players, the closest alternatives are sweepstakes poker sites, which operate under a similar business model as sweepstakes casinos. They allow players to compete for cash prizes without directly wagering money, sidestepping Georgia’s restrictive gambling laws.
Sweepstakes poker sites are also subject to the same caveats as their casino counterparts: they are unregulated, so players must proceed with caution and use established operators only.
Legalization Outlook
There has been no meaningful legislative effort to create a carve-out for online poker or to establish a regulated market. The state’s focus on potential sports betting legalization has not included any provisions for online poker.
Additionally, lawmakers have shown little appetite for legalizing online poker in Georgia, and constitutional restrictions make progress unlikely without broad public support (i.e., legalization will require a statewide public referendum).
Georgia Online Sports Betting
Online sports betting is illegal in Georgia.
Under O.C.G.A. § 16-12-21(a)(1), it is a crime to bet on “the partial or final result of any game or contest or upon the performance of any participant in such game or contest”.
Despite this prohibition, Georgia has been the site of a protracted and thus far unsuccessful legislative battle to authorize a legal and regulated sports wagering market.
Since the 2018 Supreme Court decision that allowed states to legalize sports betting, Georgia lawmakers have introduced bills to authorize the activity in nearly every legislative session, but all have failed.
For example, the 2024 legislative session saw bills like SB 386 and Senate Resolution 579 gain momentum early, only to fizzle later.
SB 386, which proposed up to 16 online licenses, successfully passed the Senate but stalled in the House, a common fate for sports betting legislation in Georgia.
Despite strong support from the state’s professional sports franchises, including the Atlanta Braves, Falcons, and Hawks, as well as favorable public opinion polling showing that 63% of voters favor legalization, the efforts have been consistently thwarted.
Legalization Outlook
Legal Georgia sports betting has broad support among lawmakers, professional sports franchises, and the public, but constitutional hurdles remain a significant sticking point.
The persistent failure to legalize sports betting is not due to a simple lack of support but is rooted in a fundamental disagreement over the legal pathway required for authorization.
One faction of lawmakers contends that because the Georgia Constitution only explicitly permits a state lottery, any new form of gambling requires a constitutional amendment.
The constitutional hurdle is substantial, as it necessitates a two-thirds majority vote in both the House and Senate, followed by approval from a majority of voters in a statewide referendum.
An opposing faction argues that sports betting can be legally defined as a type of lottery game, which would allow it to be authorized via a simple majority statute under the purview of the Georgia Lottery Corporation.
Until legislative leaders can forge a consensus on the legal pathway, no bill is likely to succeed, regardless of its underlying support.
Georgia Daily Fantasy Sports
Daily fantasy sports (DFS) contests operate in a legal gray area in Georgia.
State law neither authorizes nor prohibits fantasy sports, but major DFS apps operate in Georgia on the position that their contests are games of skill, not gambling.
The “DFS is a contest of skill” position faced some scrutiny in 2016, when the Georgia Lottery requested the Attorney General’s opinion on the legality of DFS.
The AG Office’s response concluded that “daily fantasy sports games are not authorized under Georgia law.” Critically, the AG issued the conclusion as “informal advice” rather than a formal, binding opinion. The letter provided Georgia DFS operators with enough legal ambiguity to continue their operations without interference.
Lawmakers have made several attempts to formalize the legal status of DFS and implement a regulatory and tax framework. In 2017, HB 118 passed the House but failed in the Senate. A more recent effort in 2024, HB 1329, also failed to advance.
Fantasy Pick ’em Contests in Georgia
Fantasy pick ’em apps are legal but unregulated in Georgia.
Fantasy pick ’em contests, in which players predict whether athletes will achieve more or less than a projected statistical total, are treated the same as traditional DFS in Georgia and operate in the same unregulated gray area.
Georgia residents can access all major fantasy pick ’em operators, including PrizePicks, Boom Fantasy, and ParlayPlay.
Although fantasy pick ’em apps have faced significant legal challenges in other states, they operate without issue in Georgia.
The main thing players should know is that the legal situation surrounding fantasy pick’em apps could change quickly. If regulators decide to crack down on pick’em-style contests, particularly if a bill legalizing online sports betting gains traction in Georgia, the availability of fantasy pick ’em could change quickly.
Georgia Online Lottery Sales
The Georgia Lottery offers the state’s only form of expressly legal, regulated online gambling.
The Georgia Lottery Corporation offers a wide range of its products for purchase through its official website and mobile app.
Players who are 18 years or older and physically located within Georgia can create a “Players Club” account to buy lottery tickets online. The selection of online lottery games available in Georgia includes:
- Major Draw Games: Players can buy tickets for multi-state jackpots like Powerball and Mega Millions, as well as for in-state games like Fantasy 5.
- Diggi Games: These are instant-win games that function like online scratch-off games, with various price points and prize structures.
- Keno: Players can also participate in online Keno draws.
Winnings of up to $600 are automatically credited to players’ online accounts. For larger prizes, players may go through a standard claim process to receive their winnings.
Online Horse Racing Betting in Georgia
Online horse racing betting, also known as advance deposit wagering (ADW), is illegal in Georgia.
State law does not authorize or provide a regulatory framework for pari-mutuel wagering of any kind. As a result, no US-licensed and regulated ADW platforms, such as TwinSpires, FanDuel Racing, or AmWager, accept customers from Georgia.
Several bills have been proposed to authorize horse racing and pari-mutuel betting, but none have passed. As a result, Georgians cannot legally bet on horse races online or at tracks.
Georgia Gambling Regulators
Georgia does not have a unified gaming commission due to its limited gambling options. Instead, several agencies provide lottery oversight and illegal gambling enforcement.
- Georgia Lottery Corporation (GLC): The GLC is responsible for operating and regulating all aspects of the state lottery, including its online ticket sales and Diggi Games. In every legislative proposal to legalize sports betting, the GLC has been designated as the prospective regulator, tasked with licensing operators and promulgating rules.
- GBI Commercial Gambling Unit (CGU): The Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Commercial Gambling Unit has a very narrow mandate: enforcing state laws related to coin-operated amusement machines (COAMs).
- Attorney General’s Office: Issues legal opinions and may pursue cases against unlicensed operators.
The absence of a dedicated, expert gaming agency contributes to Georgia’s struggles in expanding legal online gambling. When lawmakers debate complex topics like sports betting, they lack the guidance of a state body that can provide expert analysis on potential tax structures, licensing frameworks, and consumer protection standards.
As a result, legislators must address these multifaceted issues from a standing start, making it more challenging to build the consensus needed to pass practical and comprehensive legislation.
Responsible Gambling Resources in Georgia
Georgia lacks a unified, government-mandated responsible gambling infrastructure due to its largely unregulated gambling market.
There is no statewide self-exclusion program that would allow an individual to voluntarily ban themselves from all available online platforms (such as sweepstakes casinos and DFS apps) with a single registration, a standard feature in states with legal online gambling.
As a result, Georgia has a significant consumer protection gap. While many unregulated operators offer their own internal responsible gambling tools like deposit or time limits, these are not required by Georgia law and are not connected to any state-overseen program.
Support is available, but individuals must proactively seek it out from disconnected, third-party organizations rather than having safety nets integrated directly into the products they are using.
Responsible Gambling Organizations
- Georgia Council on Problem Gambling (GCPG): The GCPG is the state’s primary non-profit organization dedicated to advocacy and education regarding problem gambling. It provides resources and referrals for treatment and support.
- National Problem Gambling Helpline: This is the most direct and accessible resource for immediate help. Individuals can call 1-800-GAMBLER or text 800GAM 24/7 for confidential support and referrals to local services.
- Gamblers Anonymous: Peer-support meetings are available in various locations throughout Georgia for individuals seeking to recover from a gambling problem.
- Gam-Anon: This companion organization provides support and resources for the friends and family members of individuals affected by problem gambling.