Share
In trying to pass Georgia online sports betting legislation this year, Rep. Marcus Wiedower often had Republican colleagues tell him they just couldn’t risk supporting controversial gambling legislation during an election year.
Georgia Republicans often hear from faith-based organizations that they will oppose their re-election if they support gambling legislation.
For colleagues who remain on the fence, Wiedower hopes they will consider online sports betting legislation in 2025 after taking notice of his own primary election results.
In many Georgia districts, Republican incumbents don’t have much concern over losing to a Democrat in November. But they could be vulnerable against a Republican challenger in a primary.
Wiedower’s opponent, John Michael Grigsby, made his opposition to online sports betting and Wiedower’s sponsorship of legislation part of his campaign. Yet, Wiedower won with 83% of the vote in the primary election on May 21.
The incumbent isn’t even asking colleagues to vote for legalizing online sports betting. He’s asking them to allow Georgians to vote on whether or not they want sports betting.
“I’m the face of this and my opponent tried to use it against me,” Wiedower told PlayUSA. “I still won 83-17. So just stop. Nobody is getting beat in their primary over letting voters vote on this issue. So many people they think will care about this either want it or don’t care at all.”
Georgia lawmakers show growing online sports betting interest
More Georgia lawmakers attended the last National Council of Legislators from Gaming States conference than legislators from any other state.
Wiedower was one of seven Georgia legislators to attend the July conference in Pittsburgh. Also attending the conference from Georgia were:
- Rep. Karen Bennett
- Sen. Bill Cowsert
- Rep. Al Williams
- Rep. Sandra Scott
- Sen. Derek Mallow
- Rep. Yasmin Neal
Williams, who serves as NCLGS secretary, Cowsert, and Bennett are longtime attendees, and Bennett has attended before. For the others, it was a new experience, illustrating the growing interest in online gaming legislation in Georgia.
“Sen. Cowsert kept referring to NCLGS at hearings and I had no idea what he was talking about,” Wiedower said. “So I pulled him aside after a meeting and asked about it. For me, it was about wanting to have more contacts, more resources to turn to continue carrying this torch. I met some like-minded people on this subject matter that I can turn to in order to get questions answered.”
Cowsert led Senate passage of online sports betting legislation this year. However, Wiedower wasn’t able to get support from fellow House Republiicans.
The next NCLGS conference will be in the South, two states over from Georgia, in New Orleans. Wiedower said he would try to get more of his colleagues to attend in December.
“Now that I’ve been, I’ll be more vocal about it. If people want to know about this issue, the good or the bad, they should go to one of these conference to listen and learn. This is not going to go away until we pass something. The only way I’m going to give up is if you put it on the ballot and Georgians say they don’t want it.”
Online casino legalization long way out in Georgia
One of the main topics Wiedower and the other Georgia lawmakers heard about at NCLGS was model iGaming legislation.
For those who attend the next meeting in New Orleans, they will see NCLGS approve iGaming model legislation for lawmakers around the country to use to inform legislation they introduce next year.
So could Wiedower see Georgia pursue online casino legislation in the near future? Unlikely.
“It’s so hard for me to believe that’s even on the horizon when I can’t get people off the fence on online sports betting,” Wiedower said. “It’s hard to imagine we get there with iGaming with as much pushback as I’ve gotten on sports betting.”
