Published on: April 13, 2026, at 08:05h.

Updated on: April 14, 2026, at 03:38h.

• The primary Democratic candidate for the Georgia governor’s race is in favor of legalizing casino gambling.
• Keisha Lance Bottoms believes that tax revenue from casinos could fund universal pre-kindergarten programs.
• Georgians must approve casinos via a statewide ballot initiative before any legislation can be enacted.

Keisha Lance Bottoms, the ex-mayor of Atlanta and former senior advisor to President Biden, is advocating for the legalization of casino gambling as part of her strategy to secure the governor’s office in Georgia for the Democratic Party.

Currently, Bottoms is leading in the polls for the Democratic primary set for May 19.

According to a recent Emerson College survey, Bottoms has a commanding lead of over 20 points against her nearest rival, Geoff Duncan, the former Republican lieutenant governor who has since switched parties in light of claims by former President Trump regarding the 2020 election.

A key focus of Bottoms’ platform is to ensure pre-kindergarten access for every four-year-old in the state, with plans to fund this initiative partially through the authorization of casinos.

Prospects for Georgia Casinos 

As a mother of four, Bottoms emphasizes that early education lays the groundwork for future literacy and other critical life skills.

“As governor, I will ensure that every four-year-old in Georgia has access to pre-K, and I will push for shifting the starting age of our education system from first grade to kindergarten. These reforms will cultivate a robust learning environment for students statewide, keep them on track, and foster growth in local communities while creating job opportunities for future educators,” Bottoms stated.

The former Atlanta mayor proposes that tax revenues from casino operations be used to subsidize pre-K funding. However, for this to happen, the Georgia Constitution would need to be amended to permit slot machines, table games, and possibly sports betting via a statewide referendum.

“The starting point for realizing this promise is to empower Georgia voters,” Bottoms clarified. “A constitutional amendment is essential because the current Georgia Constitution prohibits casino gambling unless explicitly permitted, meaning that ordinary legislation is inadequate to authorize it.”

Bottoms estimates that casino gaming could generate between $300 million and $500 million annually in tax revenues to support the universal pre-K initiative. These figures, however, are ambitious; the nine casinos in Atlantic City together generated merely $216.8 million in tax revenue from their in-person gaming activities last year.

Is a Democrat Competitive in Georgia?

Georgia’s political landscape has shifted significantly toward the Republican Party over the past twenty years. Roy Barnes was the last Democrat to occupy the governor’s office, with his term ending in January 2003. Since then, Republicans have maintained dominance in both the Senate (since 2003) and the House (since 2005).

Jones has Trump’s endorsement, while Jackson has established connections with the former president, contributing $1 million to Make America Great Again Inc. Notably, Jackson has also previously supported Trump’s rivals during the 2020 and 2024 election cycles, including Jeb Bush, Nikki Haley, and Liz Cheney.