Can I Put Slot Machines in My Business in Georgia?

Can I put slot machines in my business in Georgia?

No, not slot machines. Georgia law prohibits them, but your business may be able to host Class B coin operated amusement machines (COAMs), which are licensed through the Georgia Lottery and pay only non-cash prizes: gift cards, lottery products or replays (O.C.G.A. § 16-12-20; GLC notice).

By Justin Gilmore Last reviewed: November 5, 2026 5 min read

What is legal in a Georgia business?

A Class B COAM. That's a coin operated amusement machine whose result depends at least partly on the player's skill, where a successful player can carry points over to later plays (O.C.G.A. § 50-27-70). It has to be licensed, connected to the state's Central Accounting System and limited to non-cash prizes (GLC guide; GLC notice).

If you've seen machines in a Georgia store or bar and thought they were slots, you're not alone. Here's what those gas station machines are.

What people call these machines

You'll hear them called slots, video poker, ding ding machines, skill games or gas station slots. Some people call these video poker or slot machines. Under Georgia law they're neither. In Georgia, the legal machine for a business is a Class B COAM regulated by the Georgia Lottery, and cash payouts are illegal.

What people say	What it means in Georgia
Slots, slot machines	In a Georgia business, the legal machine is a Class B COAM. Slot machines are illegal.
Video poker	Video games for the play of poker and other card games are named in Georgia law as prohibited gambling devices. Class B COAMs licensed by the Georgia Lottery are legal.
Ding ding machines, gas station slots	Everyday names for the machines people see in stores. If licensed, these are Class B COAMs.
Skill games	Another everyday name. What matters is the license and the prize rules, not the name.

Are gambling machines legal in a Georgia business?

No. Georgia law defines gambling devices, and it names slot machines and video games for the play of poker, blackjack, other card games or keno as prohibited (O.C.G.A. § 16-12-20).

The gambling law doesn't apply to a machine built for bona fide amusement that involves some skill and rewards players only within limits set in the statute (O.C.G.A. § 16-12-35). That's the space Class B COAMs operate in, and a machine that pays cash or falls outside those limits isn't a legal COAM.

Who can have Class B machines?

Businesses such as bars, restaurants, lounges, billiards halls, clubs and lodges, convenience stores, gas stations and truck stops. See bars and restaurants and gas stations and convenience stores. We also cover truck stops, laundromats and billiard and pool halls.

The Georgia Lottery says it won't issue a Class B license to a retailer of distilled spirits or to a business conducting or allowing nudity, and that its list isn't all-inclusive (GLC guide). You can't put machines in a private home (O.C.G.A. § 16-12-35). Your share of machine revenue also can't be more than half of your gross retail receipts, under the 50% rule.

What licenses do I need?

A Class B location license from the Georgia Lottery Corporation, for your business (GLC FAQ). See how to get one.
A licensed master licensee who supplies the machines. You don't need that license yourself (GLC FAQ).
Any local license your city or county requires. Some also cap machines at six. See local limits.

Georgia allows up to nine Class B machines per location, and some cities allow six (GLC FAQ). You'll also need space and power for the machines.

How do I get machines in my business?

Check your local rules, including your alcohol ordinance if you serve alcohol.
Choose a licensed master licensee. Check the license before you sign.
Sign a written agreement with them, and apply for your location license.
They install the machines and set up redemption, and your staff handles prizes at the counter.

We help with the first two steps. Send your venue details, we check your rules, and we tell you which licensed operator we recommend and get your OK before they contact you. We don't charge venues. The location pays its own license fee of $125 per Class B machine each year (GLC guide).

Timing depends on the Georgia Lottery's license review and your local rules. The operator will give you a realistic estimate.

Questions owners ask first

Are gambling machines legal in Georgia?

Gambling devices are not. Slot machines and video card games are named as prohibited (O.C.G.A. § 16-12-20). Class B COAMs are a separate, licensed category with non-cash prizes (O.C.G.A. § 50-27-70).

How do I get slot machines in my business?

You can't get slot machines legally. You can apply for a Class B location license and host Class B COAMs from a licensed master licensee (GLC FAQ).

Can I buy my own machines?

Class B machines in a business are supplied by a licensed master licensee. This site doesn't sell machines.

Can machines pay cash if the customer asks?

No. Giving money as a reward for winning, or in exchange for a prize, is a crime (O.C.G.A. § 16-12-35). Class B prizes are replays, lottery products and gift cards (GLC notice).

Is there a sign-up bonus?

No. Georgia law prohibits inducements to locations (O.C.G.A. § 50-27-87.1).

Do I pay anything?

We don't charge venues. Georgia requires each Class B location to hold a location license, and the location pays the license fee (O.C.G.A. § 50-27-71). The current fee is $125 per Class B machine each year (GLC guide).