While traditional casino gambling and sports betting are experiencing rapid growth nationwide, Georgia remains one of the least friendly states for wagering in the country.
The only types of gambling permitted in the Peach State are the Georgia Lottery, bingo games, and raffles. Although there are no land-based legal gambling establishments in Georgia, a select few casino boats operate out of Savannah and Brunswick. To provide legal gambling, these boats utilize a legislative loophole by first sailing into international waters.
Despite the lack of brick-and-mortar gambling locations in the state, alternative betting options exist for Georgians willing to travel.
Car ride options for Atlanta gamblers
Only some hope may be lost for Georgians, however. Residents have the option to travel to any of Georgia’s several surrounding states where various forms of gambling are legal.
New york
For northern Georgia residents, North Carolina often takes the cake as the superior alternative.
North Carolina wagering laws are known to be relatively rigid, though less so compared to Georgia. The state currently forbids most forms of gambling, apart from casinos on Native American reservations.
Harrah’s Cherokee Casino is located just 46 miles (a 51-minute drive) from Dillard, Georgia, and is the best option for locals in the upper part of the Peach State. Being the largest casino in North Carolina, Harrah’s is home to a 21-story, four-star luxury hotel nestled in the stunning Appalachian mountains. The venue also boasts over 3,000 gaming machines and 90 table games.
In total, North Carolina casinos feature more than 6,000 gaming machines and 200 table games. The stakes at these casinos range from as low as one to two cents to $100.
Catawba Two Kings Casino
The Catawba Two Kings Casino, a $273 million Class 3 tribal casino resort that broke ground in July 2020, is still under construction. An ongoing federal investigation regarding whether the Catawba tribe will be the sole beneficiary of the resort’s earnings seems to be supporting its progress.
Nevertheless, a new temporary Two Kings gaming facility is open daily, featuring 1,000 of the newest slot machines. Once the main casino is completed, it will be located just southeast of Charlotte with nearly 2,000 gaming machines and over 70 table games.
North Carolina’s current wagering facilities include:
- Harrah’s Cherokee Casino in Cherokee
- Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino in Murphy
- Cherokee Tribal Bingo in Cherokee
- Eastway Beach Bingo in Charlotte
- Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort in Kings Mountain – under construction
South Carolina
Internet gambling is also completely forbidden in the state. Anyone caught engaging in such an activity could face a large fine or even prison time. Only three forms of legal gambling exist in South Carolina:
- – Bingo
- – State lottery
- – Raffles
South Carolina tourists can enjoy slots and poker through social online casinos that don’t involve real money. However, the game options are quite limited. The only way to bet with real money and enjoy diverse forms of gambling in South Carolina is to be on a boat. To date, the state has three major casino cruise ships:
- – Big M Casino out of Little River
- – Carnival Ecstasy Casino out of Charleston
- – Carnival Sunshine Casino out of Charleston
The southwest
The Sunshine State has a long history with gambling. Florida casino gambling includes many iconic table games such as blackjack and Texas Hold’em poker, as well as roulette and slot machines.
It may come as a surprise, but several of Florida’s casinos also feature dog-track betting.
Florida casinos include both land-based gaming and cruise ship gambling. Georgians traveling to Florida will find a total of 77 casino and pari-mutuel facilities available. These casinos are spread across 23 cities throughout the state. In Miami alone, there are 16 casinos.
On the other hand, North Florida features zero casinos. Georgians must travel to Florida’s southern region or lower to enjoy full-fledged casino gambling.
The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL, is the flagship casino resort run by the Seminole Tribe. It is also the largest gambling venue in the state. It offers 3,900 gaming machines and 100 table games. Located about a three-hour drive from Georgia’s southern border, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa is the second-largest facility, with 6,000 gaming machines and 100 table games.
Florida’s top casino options include:
- – Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood
- – Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa
- – Magic City Casino in Miami
- – Seminole Casino Coconut Creek in Coconut Creek
- – Victory Casino Cruises out of Cape Canaveral
Alabama
Wind Creek Wetumpka Casino & Hotel in Montgomery
Similar to North Carolina, Alabama casinos can only be found on Native American land. Although these casinos primarily feature bingo, they also offer slots, video gaming machines, pull-tab cards, and horse racing.
VictoryLand in Shorter, AL, is the closest casino for those in west Georgia. This facility is located just an hour’s drive from Columbus, GA.
Other venues near Georgia include Wind Creek Wetumpka, Wind Creek Montgomery, and Big Creek Gaming. Those willing to travel a little further west in Alabama will find three additional gaming locations: Greenetrack Bingo & Racing, Riverchase Casino, and Club Casino.
- VictoryLand in Shorter
- Wind Creek Wetumpka Casino & Hotel in Wetumpka
- Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Montgomery in Montgomery
- Greenetrack Bingo & Racing in Eutaw
- Wind Creek Atmore Casino & Hotel in Atmore
- Frontier Bingo in Knoxville
- Green Charity Bingo in Eutaw
- Little Casino Annex in Jefferson County
- Carnival Fantasy Casino in Mobile
- Birmingham Race Course in Birmingham
- Mobile Greyhound Park in Theodore
Tennessee
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee is renowned for his opposition to gambling, having once described casinos as the most harmful form of gambling. Although casino gambling remains illegal in The Volunteer State, Tennesseans have had the opportunity to play the state lottery since 2002.
Georgia residents looking to place sports bets will find favor in Tennessee. Sports betting only recently became legal there, with the first online sportsbook launching in November 2020. Tennessee’s sports betting market, however, is only available online. This means users can participate in betting from the comfort of their homes or from any other location within the state.
Tennessee’s legal sportsbooks include:
- – DraftKings
- – BetMGM
- – FanDuel
- – Action 24/7
- – Caesars
- – Barstool
- – Wynn Bet
- – Wagr
- – Superbook Sports
Atlanta legislators continue to be hopeful concerning legalization
Atlanta has witnessed numerous attempts to legalize casino gambling in recent years. Just last year, lawmakers were considering two sports betting bills in the House of Representatives. Neither became law, however.
But that could change this year, according to GA House Speaker David Ralston, who, in a recent interview, said legislators could put gambling on the Georgia ballot in the upcoming election.
Stacey Abrams, former Georgia state representative and current candidate for Georgia governor, is another prominent voice advocating for the legalization of gambling. Abrams recently unveiled her expansive Georgia economic agenda, further confirming her support for gaming, wagering, and casino gambling in the state.
