A house committee has approved a set of measures that seek to bring casino gambling to the US state of Georgia.
The bill and accompanying constitutional amendment would allow up to four casinos around the state, with two in the metro Atlanta area. At least 90 per cent of revenue from casinos would go toward education, including the HOPE scholarship.
The programme is currently funded by the state lottery but has struggled to keep pace with demand. The measures’ sponsor, Savannah Republican Ron Stephens, said casino gambling would fill the gap. “The HOPE scholarship has continued to dwindle from 100 per cent funding to 70 per cent,” he said.
The version of the bill approved by the committee increased casinos’ state tax rate to 20 per cent. Previous versions called for a 12 per cent tax but allowed for six casinos.
