Check your venue
Tell us what kind of business you have and where it is. We check the state and local rules, then connect you with a licensed Class B operator. No fee to you.
Last reviewed: November 6, 2026
The whole path, in six steps
Fit check
You tell us about your business, and we check the state and local rules.
Who acts: you and COAM Placement.
Typical time: we reply within one business day.License application
You apply and pay online at gacoam.com (GLC guide).
Who acts: you.
Typical time: it depends on how ready your records are. Payment can take up to ten business days to clear.Georgia Lottery review
The Georgia Lottery runs criminal background, credit, tax and business checks, and an inspector may visit (GLC guide).
Who acts: the Georgia Lottery.
Typical time: Plan on about 4 to 6 weeks for the location license when the application is complete. The Georgia Lottery doesn't publish an approval time, so this is a typical range, not a promise.Operator agreement
You sign a written agreement with the licensed operator that serves your area and type of business. It runs at least one year (O.C.G.A. § 50-27-87).
Who acts: you and that operator.
Typical time: there's no set time. It depends on you and the operator.Connection
The operator sets up the machines, and a technician connects them to the state's accounting system (GLC guide).
Who acts: the operator and the state's accounting contractor.
Typical time: plan on about two to three weeks from approval to live machines. Files typically go to the contractor within three business days of approval, then connection can take up to ten business days.First play
Machines can't be played until they're connected (GLC guide).
Who acts: you and your staff, who handle prizes at the counter.
Typical time: as soon as connection is done.
What stops or delays you
- State taxes still owed, or out-of-date records. The Georgia Lottery expects tax issues cleared, and owner and officer details updated with the Department of Revenue and the Secretary of State, before you apply (GLC guide). See the location license steps.
- A criminal background or credit problem for any owner or officer. Every owner and officer is checked. If credit is a concern, the Georgia Lottery may ask for a financial security deposit (GLC guide). See what the Georgia Lottery checks.
- A business that isn't open yet, or has no prize stock. The business has to be operating, with enough prize stock on-site (GLC guide). See opening a business with COAMs.
- The May 31 cutoff. The Georgia Lottery's guide lists May 31 as the last day to apply for a new location license for the year ending that June (GLC guide). See how the licensing year affects you.
- A city cap or distance rule. A city or county can lower the cap from nine machines to six (O.C.G.A. § 50-27-86), and some set distance rules, as Macon-Bibb does (Sec. 7-512). See the local rules table.
- An agreement still in force, or a store purchase. An agreement is exclusive between one master licensee and the location (O.C.G.A. § 50-27-87), so see what to do when an agreement is ending. A location license doesn't transfer to a new owner (GLC guide), so see buying a store with COAMs.
Who does what
Who handles each stage (GLC guide; O.C.G.A. § 50-27-87; O.C.G.A. § 50-27-86). The operator here is the licensed operator that serves your area and type of business.
| Stage | The owner | The licensed operator | The Georgia Lottery | The city or county |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before you apply | Clears tax issues, updates owner and officer records, and has the business open with prize stock | No role yet | Publishes the checklist | Sets any lower cap, distance rule or local license |
| The license | Applies and pays at gacoam.com, then posts the original license | Gives its license number after the introduction | Runs the checks, may inspect, and issues the license | Handles any local license it requires |
| The agreement | Signs a written agreement and keeps a copy on file | Signs the same agreement, for at least one year | Not a party to it | Not a party to it |
| Installation | Has the space and power ready | Coordinates installation and sets up the machines | The state's accounting contractor connects each machine | May require notices and employee training |
What happens next
We review your details against state and local rules.
We call or text you, whichever you chose, within one business day.
If your venue qualifies, we tell you which licensed operator we recommend and get your OK before they contact you.
Prefer to talk?
Call (678) 567-6544. Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM Eastern. Want to sketch your room first? Try the machine planner.
On this page
How to get COAM machines in your Georgia business
You need a Georgia Lottery location license, a written agreement with a licensed master licensee, and a setup for prizes. Check your local rules first, because your city or county can lower the machine limit or add its own requirements. Here's the order most owners follow.
1. Check that your business qualifies
Your business has to be a working business with real sales. A location can't derive more than 50 percent of its gross retail receipts from Class B machines, so machines can't be the main event (O.C.G.A. § 50-27-84; see the 50% rule, explained). Bars, restaurants, gas stations and convenience stores are common fits. The Georgia Lottery won't license a retailer of distilled spirits or a business with nudity, and its list isn't all-inclusive (GLC guide).
2. Check your local rules
State law allows up to nine Class B machines in one business location, and a city or county can lower that to six. Local governments can also require a local license, set distance rules, and tie violations to your alcohol license. Look at our local rules table, and read COAMs and your liquor license if you sell alcohol. We check your city or county before anyone visits.
3. Get what you need together
Before you apply, the Georgia Lottery expects you to clear up tax issues, update your owner and officer details with the Department of Revenue and the Secretary of State, and have your state tax number, a payment method and identification for every owner ready. The business also needs to be operating, with enough prize stock on-site (GLC guide).
4. Get your location license
You apply and pay online at gacoam.com. The fee is $125 per Class B machine each year, plus a non-refundable processing and administrative fee. The Georgia Lottery runs criminal background, credit, tax and business checks, and an inspector may visit. See the location license steps and checklist.
5. Sign a written agreement
A licensed master licensee owns and places the machines, under a written agreement with you. It's exclusive between that master licensee and your location, and it runs at least one year (O.C.G.A. § 50-27-87). Your share of net revenue, 43.5 percent, is set by law (Lottery for Education Act). Georgia prohibits incentives for placing machines, so be wary of anyone who offers one. Use our questions to ask before you sign.
6. Have the machines installed
Machines come after your physical license is posted. The master licensee sets them up no earlier than two business days before connection, and a technician connects them to the state's accounting system. Machines can't be played until that's done (GLC guide). See what installation involves.
7. Set up redemption
Prizes can only be replays, lottery products or gift cards, never cash (GLC notice). You choose lottery products, gift cards or both, and your staff handle redemption at the counter. See how prize redemption works now.
How long does it take?
Plan on about 4 to 6 weeks for the location license when the application is complete. The Georgia Lottery doesn't publish an approval time, so this is a typical range, not a promise. Plan on about two to three weeks from approval to live machines. That's about 6 to 9 weeks in total. Payment can take up to ten business days to clear, installation files typically go to the contractor within three business days of approval, and connection can then take up to ten business days (GLC guide). Problems with tax, credit or ownership details add time.
A short glossary
- COAM: coin operated amusement machine.
- Class B: the category of COAM where a player can accrue points and carry them to later plays, within strict prize rules. See Class A vs. Class B.
- Master licensee: the licensed company that owns, places and maintains the machines. People often call this the operator.
- Location license: the Georgia Lottery license your business needs to offer machines.
- Redemption: giving a player an allowed prize for what they won.
- Net revenue: what's left after prizes, split by law among the location, the master licensee and the Georgia Lottery.
Sources
- GLC Location License Holder Guide, version 1.02, checked November 5, 2026
- Lottery for Education Act, checked November 5, 2026
- GLC notice: COAM Prize Redemption Changes Effective July 1, 2026, checked November 5, 2026
- O.C.G.A. § 50-27-87, written agreements, checked November 5, 2026
- O.C.G.A. § 50-27-86, local ordinances, checked November 5, 2026
- Macon-Bibb County Code, Chapter 7, Article II, Division 22, Secs. 7-504 to 7-515, checked November 5, 2026
Who you're dealing with
COAM Placement is a placement service. We are not a COAM operator or master licensee. We introduce Georgia businesses to operators that hold a Georgia Lottery Class B Master License. We'll tell you which licensed operator we recommend, with their license number, and get your OK before they contact you. Before you sign, you can check the operator's license with the Georgia Lottery's COAM Division. No fee to you. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the Georgia Lottery Corporation.