In America, there are federal and state laws. Federal laws apply nationwide, but state laws are determined by local government. A popular activity throughout the world, which is decided on a state level, is gambling. As such, different states throughout the US have different approaches when it comes to the legality of gambling. This means that if you are interested in playing online casino games or placing bets, you need to first check whether you can do this depending on where you live.
Can You Gamble Online in Georgia?
Unfortunately, the answer to this is no. Georgia is a reasonably conservative state and, as such, has some of the strictest gambling laws throughout the entire US. There was the hope for a turnover in 2020 as legislation was proposed which would have allowed people to vote on potentially expanding gambling laws in the state, but this proposal fell through quite early doors.
That being said, there are different ways that people in the state of Georgia are still able to play different forms of gambling. Some of these will be discussed in more detail below as well as whether they can be expected to be overturned any time soon.
Playing on Social Casinos
If you are a big fan of casino games in Georgia, then you will be happy to know that there are still methods out there which will allow you to play. One of these methods is by going to different social casinos. Social casinos are completely free for the player, and they are good, as when you go on them, you can play a massive variety of different table games and slot machines. Players are given different tokens when they sign up and then can play different games or play in tournaments. In entering these tournaments, you can play and potentially earn real cash prices. This is legal as the game counts as a sweepstake, rather than as a means of playing online casino games. A great little workaround that many can benefit from.
Using Online Sportsbooks
Gambling doesn’t just mean visiting different online casinos and playing on slot machines, poker tables, and roulette wheels. You can also engage in gambling by placing different bets on the outcome of a variety of sports games. In Georgia, there are several different ways that you can do this and, as such, these should certainly be taken advantage of if you want to participate in some online gambling.
Of course, a lot of people who consider placing such bets also find themselves wondering whether it is legal to be on online sportsbooks in Georgia. As has previously been discussed, sports betting and online gambling can be reasonably limited. There is a massive state-run lottery system but there aren’t any brick-and-mortar casinos or betting shops available.
That doesn’t mean you are completely restricted though. Granted, you’re unable to just jump into your car and head to your nearest sportsbook, but there are plenty of other options. A federal law was passed throughout the US recently that made it so there was a full expansion and regulation of online sportsbooks on a state level. Georgia is still yet to lay out particulars, but it means there are more options for citizens. For more information, you can click here for a list of legal sportsbooks in Georgia.
Is Georgia Ever Going to Legalize Online Gambling?
It’s incredibly difficult to say whether Georgia is likely to legalize online gambling anytime soon. The state has a reasonably strict history surrounding it, which means that legalization soon is unlikely. If we’re being optimistic, then it will be some time before Georgia residents can enjoy online gambling without any kind of restriction whatsoever. That isn’t to say that it will never happen, however.
There has been some progress made when it comes to online sports betting (as can be seen above) but we are still waiting for this to be completely legal as well. It will most likely be the case that when online sports wagering is made legal, playing on online casinos is not going to be a million miles behind it. Until then though, there is nothing we can do except wait.
If Legalized, What Games Will Online Casinos Offer?
If Georgia ever completely legalizes playing online gambling games, then the real-money casinos and apps would likely sweep the state. There are many different games available on these resources and these are the games that residents of the state are going to be able to play once it is made legal. These games include but are not limited to:
- Online Slot Machines
You find that online slots are incredibly popular and already can be found at several the top social casinos in Georgia. They are like the slot machine games that you come across in brick-and-mortar establishments. You can also find these games a lot more conveniently than you can find the games in physical casinos.
- Online Poker
This is also currently illegal in Georgia, but again, we are likely going to see this available once online casinos are made legal. Internet poker games have been incredibly popular ever since online casinos were first developed and, as such, people everywhere will be playing them.
- Roulette
This is loved by many different people who play online casino games because of the fact there is a lot of luck involved. It means that there isn’t a lot of pressure when it comes to playing these games and, as such, they can be enjoyed a lot more. These will likely be more accessible if online gambling is ever made legal in Georgia.
Conclusion
As it stands, online gambling is illegal in the state of Georgia, and it doesn’t look like there will be any drastic changes to that anytime soon. That being said, there are several options available for people if they still want to play casino games legally. These are laid out in more detail above.
