Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog
By Larry Kohn, Georgia Gambling Lawyer Since 1998 – Over 600 AVVO 5-Star Client Reviews
Despite many attempts by lawmakers over the years to legalize gambling in Georgia most gambling is still illegal, with only a few exceptions. Georgia defines gambling as betting on sports games or contests. or playing cards, dice, or other casino-style games to win money or valuable items.
The only forms of legal gambling allowed in Georgia are the official Georgia State Lottery, charitable raffles, and bingo games.
If you need help with your gambling case, call Atlanta criminal lawyer Larry Kohn at (404) 567-5515. You can get a free consultation and case review. Even participating in illegal gambling as a player can result in misdemeanor charges. Larry can also represent you if authorities arrest you for running a gambling enterprise.
What Georgia Law Treats as Illegal Gambling
Georgia has relatively strict gambling laws that prohibit most forms of gambling, including:
- Gambling casinos
- Horse racing and dog racing
- Sports betting aka sports book (betting on professional sports teams and other sports events)
- Unregulated online gambling
- Unlicensed coin operated amusement machines (COAM) that pay out cash
GA 2026 Gambling Convictions Penalties Chart
The penalties for an illegal gambling conviction in Georgia can be fairly strict when compared to other states’ sentencing. If you take part in the crime, it is called a misdemeanor. You could go to jail for up to 12 months and also have to pay a fine of up to $1,000. See the quick chart of penalties below.
Georgia Illegal Gambling Conviction Penalties Chart – Individual Players and Business Owners
| Player Gambling Misdemeanor (O.C.G.A. 16-12-21) | Commercial Gambling Felony (individual acting as operator, O.C.G.A. 16-12-22) | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical conduct | Placing bets, playing illegal games, or casual participation in unlicensed gambling. | Running or profiting from an illegal gambling operation, such as taking bets, running games, or acting as the “house.” |
| Jail / prison range | Up to 12 months in county jail. | 1 to 5 years in state prison. |
| Fines | Generally up to about $1,000 (can be higher if treated as a “high and aggravated” misdemeanor). | Up to $20,000 in criminal fines. |
| Probation | Up to 12 months of probation; the court can order probation instead of, or in addition to, jail time. | Felony probation often lasts several years and may be imposed in addition to a prison or jail sentence. |
| Repeat offenses | Still generally charged as misdemeanors, but judges can impose harsher jail, fines, and probation for repeat offenders. | A prior gambling or felony record can push the sentence toward the higher end of the 1–5 year range and make probation alone less likely. |
| Other consequences | Permanent criminal record, possible immigration issues, and problems with employment and professional licensing. | Felony record, loss of civil rights (including voting and firearms), immigration problems, and serious background check issues for jobs and licenses. |
| Regulatory penalties | Usually not an issue for casual players. | Georgia Lottery Corporation can impose large fines, revoke COAM and lottery licenses, and bar the business from operating machines or selling lottery tickets. |
| Asset seizure / forfeiture | Rare at the player level. | Prosecutors may seek forfeiture of cash, coin‑operated machines, business inventory, and even personal and business bank accounts. |
| Business impact | Employee may lose a job, but the business usually is not the main target. | Loss of the business itself, liquor licenses, COAM contracts, and severe reputational damage; serious immigration consequences for non‑citizen owners. |
Georgia commercial gambling laws affect owners of illegal sports betting, convenience store owners with COAM, card game gambling halls, and online gambling sites. Operating illegal gambling businesses or keeping a place for gambling carries harsher felony penalties.
How Does a Conviction for Illegal Commercial Gambling Impact Business Licensing and Permits?
License Revocation: A gambling conviction can result in the revocation of state and local business licenses. The Georgia Lottery Corporation (GLC) can revoke all state and local licenses. This applies to businesses that participate in illegal gambling.
If a business has Coin Operated Amusement Machines (COAMs), they can lose their COAM license. This can happen if the business has a gambling conviction. This is particularly relevant for businesses that derive income from legal Class B COAMs.
Liquor License Jeopardy: A commercial gambling conviction may result in the loss of a business’s liquor license.
If you have a gambling conviction, you might lose your license. This means you cannot sell Georgia Lottery tickets.
Can I Go To Jail For Using Gambling Machines In A Store Or Bar?
Unlicensed coin‑operated gambling machines can lead to criminal charges for both the owner and sometimes the player.
Prosecutors may argue that payouts in cash or prizes turn these machines into illegal gambling devices.
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Business owners can face fines, probation, or even jail.
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Law enforcement can seize machines, cash, and business assets.
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Hiring an attorney early can help protect your property and licensing.
A gambling conviction can make it difficult to obtain new business licenses or permits. This is true even after serving any criminal penalties. This can severely limit future business opportunities.
Fines and Penalties: Besides criminal penalties, the GLC can charge business owners up to $50,000 for gambling offenses. These fines are separate from and in addition to any criminal fines imposed by the court.
Asset Seizure: Sometimes, law enforcement can take business assets linked to illegal gambling. This may include the machines, cash, and even the property itself.
These consequences can occur even if the gambling was done using legal machines or services. It’s important to keep this in mind. Georgia has strict gambling laws. Even small violations can have serious consequences for business owners.
How Does a Conviction for Illegal Gambling Affect Your Criminal Record?
A gambling conviction, whether a misdemeanor or felony, will likely appear on employer background checks. Future employers and landlords often use these checks. Most simple gambling offenses in Georgia classify as misdemeanors. A misdemeanor gambling conviction would result in a criminal record.
A conviction for illegal gambling can lead to a permanent criminal record. This record can hurt your chances of getting a job. It can also impact personal relationships, like divorce and child custody cases. Having a gambling conviction on one’s record can make it more difficult to:
- Find better employment
- Secure housing
- Obtain loans or credit
- Maintain professional licenses in some fields
Common Scenarios Our Lawyers See
In 2026 Georgia law enforcement and federal agencies have continued to treat illegal gambling as a high‑priority enforcement area, especially where there is a business operation or organized activity. Recent cases range from local COAM raids in Fulton County, Cobb County, Forsyth County, and Gwinnett County to multi‑state federal investigations involving online sports betting, poker, and money‑laundering allegations.
These cases highlight that even when gambling activity is not violent, prosecutors will pursue aggressive charges when they believe a business is profiting from unlicensed or illegal betting. They also show that investigations often run for months or years before arrests are made, meaning business owners may be under surveillance long before they realize there is a problem.
Recent COAM And Convenience Store Raids
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Commercial Gambling Unit (CGU), working with local law enforcement and the Georgia Lottery, continues to raid stores and small businesses suspected of running unlicensed coin‑operated amusement machines or paying cash for credits. In one 2024 Coffee County case, for example, investigators alleged that a business was operating unlicensed COAMs and paying out cash to customers, leading to charges like operating unlicensed COAMs, commercial gambling, possession of gambling devices, and keeping a gambling place.
The GBI emphasized that, under Georgia gambling laws, COAM credits can only be redeemed for merchandise, fuel, or lottery tickets—not cash. These cases make clear that “everybody does it” is not a defense, the same way GA drivers try to justify speeding by saying that everybody speeds in Atlanta.
Are Georgia Gambling Laws Changing In 2026?
At the same time that prosecutors are filing cases, lawmakers and regulators in Georgia continue to debate whether and how to expand legal gambling options such as sports betting. Proposals in 2024 and 2025 would have authorized the Georgia Lottery Commission to license mobile sports betting, but those bills stalled in the House, leaving sports betting illegal in GA for now.
Because of these failures, Georgia still has a relatively restrictive gambling landscape compared to neighboring states, and many activities that people assume are legal remain against the law. Until the legislature actually changes the statutes, anyone involved in informal betting pools, unlicensed gaming machines, or online gambling platforms remains at risk of prosecution under existing Georgia gambling laws.
Georgia has strict expungement rules, making it hard to remove a gambling conviction from your record once it is on there.
A conviction for illegal gambling in Georgia will create a criminal record. This record can have serious long-term effects on many parts of your life. The impact varies between misdemeanors and felonies, but both create a permanent record that can destroy future opportunities.
Call criminal lawyer Larry Kohn today at (404) 567-5515 if authorities have charged you with illegal gambling. Meet with him at one of our metro Atlanta law firm offices for a free consultation. Get free lawyer advice and learn about our payment plans. (404) 567-5515.
Atlanta criminal defense attorney Larry Kohn has been named a Super Lawyer 9 years in a row. His ratings with US News & World Report, Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, AVV and many more attorney ratings services point to excellence in all aspects of his lawyering in Georgia. Larry began practicing criminal law in 1998 and has represented thousands of clients in Fulton, Cobb, DreKalb, and Forsyth county courtrooms, consistently getting chsrges reduced and cases dismissed. Rated a 10.0 out of 10.0 at Justia. Emory University undergraduate and Georgia State Law School.