By ROGER ALFORD, The Christian Index
ATLANTA – Georgia's largest spiritual group is taking intention on the newest proposal to legalize sports activities betting within the state.
The 1.4 million-member Georgia Baptist Conference, which has lengthy opposed any growth of playing, is mobilizing to induce lawmakers to defeat Senate Invoice 386.
The measure cleared the Senate Financial Growth and Tourism Committee on Tuesday morning by an 8-2 vote and now goes to the Senate Guidelines Committee, which is able to determine whether or not to convey it up for a flooring vote.
“Our collective voice has the ability to forestall the growth of playing by way of sports activities betting,” Mike Griffin, public affairs consultant for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, stated Tuesday in an e mail to the state's 3,400 Southern Baptist church buildings. “Defending our households and kids from the dangers of playing habit is paramount.”
If handed, the motion would authorize the Georgia Lottery Corp. grant 16 licenses to sports activities betting amenities with out first looking for to amend the state structure.
Georgia's structure particularly prohibits playing aside from the lottery, which was approved by a voter-approved modification in 1992.
Below the newest measure, the Braves, Falcons, Hawks, Dream and United would every obtain one license, as would Augusta Nationwide Golf Membership, the Skilled Golf Affiliation and Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Seven licenses can be accessible to sports activities betting institutions by way of an software course of overseen by lottery officers. The lottery would additionally get a license.
The laws requires that 20% of adjusted gross income from sports activities betting go to Georgia HOPE scholarships and preschool applications. It might legalize sports activities betting with out requiring a constitutional modification, a controversial transfer that might face a authorized problem from anti-gambling forces if handed.
A second sports activities playing invoice that requires a constitutional modification handed the Senate Regulatory Trade and Utilities Committee earlier this month.
Georgia Baptists additionally oppose the measure.
Nick Fernandez, director of presidency affairs for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, stated sports activities betting might generate an estimated $100 million yearly for HOPE scholarships and preschool applications. Opponents of playing, nevertheless, argue that the social prices would far exceed that.
“The catastrophic results of downside playing are well-known and nicely documented,” Mack Parnell, government director of the Georgia Religion and Freedom Coalition, instructed lawmakers Tuesday morning.
Sen. Clint Dixon, R-Buford, the lead sponsor of the newest invoice, included a provision mandating advertisements educating Georgians in regards to the potential pitfalls of sports activities betting and methods to set particular person limits on the sum of money they will guess.
