Georgia Gambling
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Just like many Southern states, Georgia has an overwhelmingly conservative stance towards all forms of gambling. As of 2020, online gambling still isn’t legal in the state. However, there is a catch that Georgian players are delighted to exploit.
In legal terms, online casinos are a relative novelty. As such, they aren’t explicitly prohibited by the state of Georgia. What does this mean exactly?
When it comes to legislation, the absence of explicit prohibition pertaining to a certain activity means that you effectively can’t get trouble for it. This is great news, as Georgia is one of the most undeveloped US states, gambling-wise.
As former Gov. Nathan Deal was perpetually scared of the scenario that online gambling would cannibalize the state’s lottery, hopes for legalization were pretty much nonexistent in the 2010s. With the arrival of incumbent Governor, Tom Graves, many experts believe that Georgia will come to its senses and start regulating this expanding industry.
While there are no sites based in Georgia, many other US casinos and offshore brands are more than happy to provide players with a permanent home. The authorities, so far, haven’t taken legal action against these brands, so the choice is as wide as ever.
The Peach State is a restrictive one, considerably more than most other parts of the Union. Georgia’s laws don’t mention online gambling, and many forms of land-based gambling continue to be against the existing laws and regulations. The only way for Georgia residents to enjoy casino games on the internet without risking any unlawful actions is to turn to sites hosted overseas. From major network websites to proven brands created specifically for US players, GA online gamers can compensate for the lack of land-based slots and gambling tables. This situation will probably last for years to come.
A regulated online and land-based gambling market would probably help the state’s economy if executed correctly, but so far there have been no serious attempts to introduce intrastate casino websites and commercial casino facilities.
Georgia was never the gambling powerhouse of the United States. It probably never will be. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean that there are no gambling possibilities whatsoever in the Peach State. There are some, and in the case of Georgia quality surpasses quantity. Ever a conservative state, Georgia put a ban on lottery tickets in 1878. The modern state lottery was established a century after - in 1993. Charity bingo and raffles were legalized in 1976 and they continue to be tightly regulated today.
Instead of establishing licensed brick and mortar gambling venues, Georgians went through creative efforts to invest in cruise ship casinos. At least one remains operative today. For a while, players from Georgia had access to video poker machines, but the government made them entirely illegal in 2002. There have been rumors of internet cafes which pose as gambling establishments, but they operate underground and state prosecutors are onto them since 2011.
Horse racing remains unregulated in the state of Georgia. Casino gambling has been approved by the Senate Bill 79 and the House Bill 158 in 2017, which paved a way to casinos being legalized and built with the purpose of securing money for education (funding the community college programs). However, the implementation of these bills is still awaited upon.
You can count the number of casinos in Georgia on the fingers of one hand - one cruise boat. As much as 4 land-based facilities providing gambling services to locals who don’t want to travel the gaming meccas in Las Vegas or Atlantic City are within a close range from Atlanta, but they are located in North Carolina and Alabama. At one point, there were 2 casino boats operating the shores of Georgia. However, the Tradewinds casino cruise out of Savannah was closed in 2015. Now, only Emerald Princess Casino remains.
The 200-foot vessel with four decks docks in Brunswick and offers cruises five days a week. Emerald Princess Casino boasts two gambling decks and a variety of parlor games. Over 220 slot machines are installed, along with a dozen blackjack tables, 8 poker tables, a table for craps and 2 roulette wheels. Emerald Princess Casino requires a $10 entry fee and provides a 5-hour-long cruise across international waters where anything is legal because there are no laws. Patrons must be 18 or older to come aboard. The ship features two cocktail lounges, and provides casual dining on the 3rd deck (Bistro Deck).
Neighbouring States: Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee
Since lottery games are the only fully legal form of gambling in Georgia, the best way to know you’re not breaking any laws is to apply the lottery-game laws to iGaming. No person under 18 can buy and play lottery tickets, so we would advise you to adhere to this limit.
Remember, online gambling is technically nonexistent, as far as Georgian legislation is concerned, but you should always play it safe.
Because there is a plethora of offshore and out-of-state brands at your disposal, you can play pretty much anything. Every casino offers table games, with many variations being actively promoted. As fun as the basic version of roulette, blackjack, and other games might be, players are constantly in need of fresh excitement.
That’s why you can find wacky three-ball roulette versions, blackjacks with multipliers, and just about anything that developers have managed to come up with. There are also thousands of slots to choose from, from classic titles to modern visual treats.
Remember that no single casino offers everything. If you’re unsure about which site to pick, compile a list of games that you want to play. Then, all you have to do is browse the database of each Georgian online casino you’re interested in. The site that has the most games should be the winner.
Yes, almost every casino site in Georgia offers live dealer games. They’re basically a necessity is this volatile market. Players want to have the same experience as in brick-and-mortar casinos, but without the need to leave their own home. To win over customers, casinos have added a wide array of live dealer titles.
You will find that a majority of sites offer titles from different developers, all in an effort to diversify their audience. Thus, you will find both basic titles and experimental RNG hybrids. Gather information, look around, and you’ll find an option that’s ideal for you in no time.
Of course. Georgian casinos offer all the popular payment methods. The most common ones are the ones connected to banks - credit cards, debit cards, and bank transfers. Literally everyone has a card and a bank account, so this makes attracting players much easier than with some niche options.
Offering PayPal is the sign of a legitimate casino, as this popular eWallet is known for being very picky when it comes to picking casinos to collaborate with. Neteller and Skrill have a similar interface and operational format.
Players who value privacy have flocked to crypto-only casinos, which have become increasingly abundant in the last five or so years. They might be hard to grasp at first, but blockchain technology really does make things easier.
If you’re using a credit card or waiting for a bank transfer, 2 or 3 days is the best-case scenario. Basically, everything involving a bank will result in long waiting times. As financial institutions regulated by laws, banks are required to meticulously analyze every transaction before giving it a green light.
If you’re using PayPal or another eWallet, you can expect a deposit from the casino either instantly (if you wish to pay a slightly bigger fee), or wait for a maximum of 24 hours. However, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies take home the crown when it comes to payment speed. You won’t have to wait more than two hours. Plus, there are no fees involved.
Yes, free spins are by far the most common form of incentive given out by Georgian casinos. You will find them at almost every site. The best way to get a good deal is to await the release of a highly-coveted slot. To promote the game, online casinos tend to offer copious amounts of bonus spins, so this is the best chance to get a good head start.
No, you cannot be arrested for partaking in gambling over the internet. To be arrested and charged for breaking a law, you have to do something a certain law explicitly forbids. Since there is not a single mention of online casinos in Georgia, you’re 100% safe.
This depends on the casino you’re interested in. To be absolutely sure, check the brand’s license and do some research about the security measures they implement. If everything checks out, there is no reason to hesitate.
Again, this depends from site to site. Some are eager to let anyone with a valid SSN and credit card number register, while others require document scans or something else of the sort. Read the terms and conditions of a casino to see what’s expected from you.
• In Georgia, it’s all about counties. GA has 159 counties and in those counties, there are 500 cities. However, when someone asks a Georgian where he or she is from, chances are he or she will reply with a county’s name and not the name of the city/town.
• The headquarters of Coca-Cola is in Atlanta, the Capital of Georgia. The world-famous beverage was formulated by a Confederate Colonel, John Pemberton, in 1886. Reportedly, this happened in a drugstore in Columbus, Georgia.
• Don’t go to Savannah in Georgia, if you’re easily spooked. This city has been proclaimed the most haunted city in the US by the American Institute of Parapsychology. Why? Because voodoo practices, plagues, wars, and fires were the main events in the city for quite a while.
References
[1] Georgia Lottery
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