When Gambling Failed, Georgia Republicans Went All In for Marijuana. Why?

Under Gov. Brian Kemp, Georgia Republicans seem hellbent on legalizing marijuana, leaving local conservatives confused. But this unforced error has its roots in an older bid: Legalizing gambling in the Peach State.

A Restoration News ongoing investigation into the peculiar nature of Georgia’s marijuana laws revealed that state Republicans initially worked to implement gambling as a form of tax revenue, but after many failed attempts jumped ship to push for medical marijuana.

The only forms of gambling currently allowed in Georgia are regulated bingo and the state lottery, which has the worst odds of any form of legal gambling.

Pro-gambling legislators argued that the tax revenue would bolster the Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally (HOPE) scholarships for education, formed in 1993, which provides assistance toward the educational costs for career fields deemed important for economic growth.

But the real question remains: Why is a red state with a healthy budget surplus turning to predatory vices for tax revenue?

The first push to legalize gambling in Georgia was in the aftermath of the 2008 market crash, when many Americans were struggling to make ends meet. The prospect of casino revenue promised a significant financial boost for the state; however, the accompanying issues associated with legalizing gambling left many Georgians opposed to the idea.

“I don’t favor it on a personal basis,” former Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal (R) told the Associated Press at the time. “I just don’t think you can gamble yourself out of a bad economy.”

Prior to that, other gambling legislation was introduced, but it was predominantly focused on blocking animal-based betting and allowing gambling on offshore boats, which failed.

In 2011, Georgia state Rep. Ron Stephens (R) suggested legislation that would allow gambling in tourist-heavy areas to fund HOPE scholarships. Record of the suggested legislation and whether it was ever submitted could not be located, but the proposal shines a light on what would come just four years later under Rep. Stephens.

In 2015, gambling proposals began to boom in the state, as MGM promised a $1 billion dollar investment into casino-related projects. In 2016, the Georgia state house unanimously approved a constitutional amendment—again sponsored by Rep. Stephens—calling for a statewide vote to allow four “destination” resorts that would include not only casinos plus hotels, restaurants, and shopping centers. 20 percent of all revenues would go toward HOPE scholarships.

“The goal is [to] maximize revenue and still get the product we want,” said House Majority Whip Matt Ramsey (R), who helped craft the substitute enabling bill, said at the time.

By 2017 the bill had failed, as it didn’t have the votes to make it through the Senate Regulated Industries and Utilities Committee. From 2017 to 2023, Georgia Republicans continued to push for casinos, sports betting and horse racing, but could not get the votes to pass a constitutional amendment.

Though gambling legislation looked less promising by the day, medical marijuana legalization was already in the works at this time and just two years away from the first licenses being distributed.

From Medical Marijuana…

The gambling saga of Georgia represents nearly 10 years of failed attempts by Republicans to bring in revenue to the state through gambling, but they certainly didn’t stop there.

After the first big gambling bill sponsored by Rep. Stephens to open casinos failed in 2017 Georgia Republicans managed to pass an initial piece of legislation, the Haleigh’s Hope Act (HB 1)—not to be confused with the HOPE scholarship law—that began the process towards legalizing medical marijuana.

It was anything but a smooth ride from there on out.

The Haleigh’s Hope Act opened the door for medical marijuana. However, it wasn’t until 2019 and the passage of Republicans’ HB 324, that medical cannabis gained significant traction.

That legislation paved the way for the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission to issue six cultivation and dispensing licenses within the state. During this time, Republicans also pushed for gambling but continued to fail.

After a three-year hiatus with no licenses awarded, the story progressed when Botanical Sciences, a newly established entity in 2020, and Trulieve, an existing company with operations in nine states, secured licenses. Nearly a year later, four additional licenses were granted to Fine Fettle, TheraTrue Georgia, Natures Georgia, and Treevana Remedy.

Georgia is now the first state that allows medical marijuana to be sold in private pharmacies, and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is not pleased. In November 2023 they released a letter reminding the participating pharmacies that marijuana is still a federal schedule one drug.

Nearly 120 pharmacies have agreed to provide low-dose THC oil to customers in Georgia, and the applications were authorized by a joint coalition of the Georgia Board of Pharmacy, Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission, and rules approved by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R).

The selection process for licenses and inner workings of the Georgia Access to Medical Cannabis Commission have been veiled in secrecy from the start. Numerous companies that were not awarded licenses claimed wrongdoing and in turn filed complaints in court, but the commission’s inner workings are shielded by protections established in the Haleigh’s Hope Act and the complaints in court were sealed from the public.

Georgians need all the details as this ongoing tale continues to unfold.

(RELATED: Dazed and Confused: What’s Going On With Georgia’s Marijuana Laws?)

…to Recreational Marijuana

Medical marijuana, though oddly secretive, is full sail in Georgia. Now, Democrats are taking the foundation created by Republicans and pushing for full legalization of recreational pot.

Stacey Abrams, a two-time unsuccessful Georgia gubernatorial candidate and prominent figure within the Democratic Party, has ignited controversy by advocating for the decriminalization of cannabis in the state—a move made more possible thanks to Republican sponsored medical marijuana.

Backed by Abrams’ New Georgia Project, a group embroiled in controversy regarding electoral improprieties and financial irregularities, Georgia State Rep. Eric Bell (D) is preparing to introduce a measure aimed at reducing penalties for cannabis possession.

“We advocate for restorative justice and the decriminalization of cannabis in Georgia,” Bell stated.

Georgia Republicans are walking a thin line between sponsoring medical cannabis and creating an environment that is conducive to passing cannabis decriminalization in Georgia.

Republicans on the Gambling Warpath?

Gambling has failed repeatedly, and Georgia Republicans have substituted marijuana, but they are still pushing for gambling. It’s hard to think every day Georgians want all of these vices added into their day-to-day lives.

In 2019, despite initially expressing personal opposition, Gov. Brian Kemp (R) followed the path set by his predecessor Gov. Deal by indicating a willingness to consider the legalization of gambling in the state.

“Hardworking Georgians will have the ultimate say if a constitutional amendment is placed on the ballot,” he remarked.

Fast forward to 2024, Georgian Republican legislators are actively pursuing the implementation of sports betting in the state. Sponsored by state Senator Clint Dixon (R), Senate Bill 386 garnered a 35–15 vote, surpassing the two-thirds threshold required for legislative amendment of the Georgia constitution.

Interestingly, Dixon himself does not support the amendment clause, preferring to rely on the legal opinion of Georgia Supreme Court Justice Harold Melton, who asserts that sports betting does not necessitate a referendum if structured similarly to the state lottery.

Georgia state Sen. Brandon Breach (R) also revealed a draft of legislation that would legalize a gambling expansion, including retail casinos and online sports betting. Breach estimates the expansion could bring nearly $900 million to the state.

Unlike previous attempts to legalize gambling, the new bill would allocate revenue to a freight and logistics fund, mental health programs, rural healthcare, and Georgia HBCUs.

Georgia’s traditional stance against gambling expansion could be changing. If the new legislation is successful, Georgia would reap tax revenue from both gambling and marijuana, all under the leadership of the Republican Party.

These developments truly prompt questions about the motivations of the Republican party. Does tax revenue justify these significant and potentially dangerous changes?Top of Form

Lots of Change Over a Few Years

Republicans are leading the charge to introduce vices in Georgia, and they claim it’s to bolster tax revenue, but have they lost focus?

Is there another side to this coin Georgian are not seeing? Georgia already has a large budget surplus and many other ways to fund the HOPE scholarships. There is also a litany of issues that come with medical marijuana and casinos operating in states.

It’s time Georgians start asking what is going on.

(READ MORE: Stacey Abrams Aims to Decriminalize Marijuana in Georgia. Are Republicans About to Help Her?)