A constitutional amendment is not needed for the state to allow legal online sports betting and should be considered an extension of the lottery, in the opinion of former Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Harold D. Melton.
Efforts to get the legislation through the General Assembly have picked up this year, with the Metro Atlanta Chamber asking Melton for his views on the constitutional legality of allowing sports betting.
Expanding gambling in Georgia has been difficult to do because it requires amending the state constitution — allowed only once two-thirds of each legislative chamber agrees to place it on a ballot and a majority of voters approve the change.
