Georgia Class B COAM Master License
Every skill game machine in a Georgia store is placed by a company holding a Class B master license from the Georgia Lottery. Here is what that license is, how it works for your business, and how to get machines from a licensed master licensee.
Georgia Game Machines (Continental Games Inc) holds Georgia Lottery Class B Master License #000015253. We own, install and service Georgia Lottery approved skill game machines in convenience stores, gas stations, bars, restaurants and other businesses across Georgia, at no out of pocket cost for the machines.
Last updated October 2026. Based on O.C.G.A. Title 50, Chapter 27, Article 3 and HB 353 (signed May 2024).
What a master license is
Georgia regulates coin operated amusement machines (COAMs) through the Georgia Lottery Corporation (GLC). A master license is the license held by the company that owns and operates the machines. State law (O.C.G.A. 50-27-87) says no one can own, maintain, place or lease a COAM in Georgia without one.
The skill redemption games you see in stores, where points carry over from play to play, are Class B machines. They are run by Class B master licensees and are connected to the state's central accounting system, so the GLC sees every dollar played and won.
Master licensee vs. location license
Two licenses are involved whenever a store has skill game machines:
- Class B master license, held by the machine company (us). It covers owning, placing, servicing and monitoring the machines.
- Class B location license, held by your business. It costs $125 per machine per year and is applied for at gacoam.com. See how to apply and what you need first.
Georgia keeps these roles separate. A store owner cannot hold an interest in a master licensee, and a master licensee cannot hold an interest in a store. Machines can only go into a store after the store signs a written placement agreement with a master licensee.
How the money is split
The machines report to the GLC's central system. The GLC collects the net receipts (money played minus prizes won) and divides them:
- 43.5% to the location owner (your business)
- 43.5% to the Class B master licensee
- 13% to the Georgia Lottery Corporation for education
The location's and the master licensee's shares are paid within five business days. This split has applied since May 12, 2024, when HB 353 raised the GLC's share from 10% to 13%. Read more in Georgia COAM rules for 2026.
How master licenses are issued
The GLC may issue up to 220 Class B master licenses, through competitive auctions held at least once every three years. The April 2024 auction required bidders to pre-qualify, submit a $100,000 deposit and pass criminal history checks on every owner and officer. The winner pays a $5,000 annual master license fee and buys a $125 permit sticker for each Class B machine. A master licensee must also keep an office in Georgia and cannot have held a gambling license in any state in the previous five years.
Because licenses are limited and auctioned, most businesses that want skill game machines partner with an existing master licensee rather than trying to become one.
What a master licensee does for your store
- Supplies and installs the machines
- Pays the $125 permit sticker on each machine
- Handles repairs, game changes and upgrades
- Keeps machines connected to the GLC system
- Helps with your location license application
- Explains the gift card redemption rules
How to get skill game machines for your Georgia business
- Call us at 678-805-7432 or send the contact form. We will check that your location qualifies.
- Sign a placement agreement with Continental Games, the master licensee.
- Apply for your Class B location license at gacoam.com. We walk you through it step by step.
- We install the machines once your license arrives, usually 4 to 6 weeks after you apply.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Georgia COAM master license?
It is the license the Georgia Lottery Corporation (GLC) issues to the company that owns, places and services coin operated amusement machines (COAMs). Georgia law says a person cannot own, maintain, place or lease a COAM without a valid master license. The skill game machines in Georgia stores, where points carry over from play to play, are Class B COAMs, so they are placed by a Class B master licensee.
Does my store need a master licensee to get skill game machines?
Yes. Under O.C.G.A. 50-27-87, Class B machines can only be placed in a store by a master licensee, and only after the store owner signs a written placement agreement with that master licensee. Your store also needs its own Class B location license from the GLC.
Is Georgia Game Machines a licensed master licensee?
Yes. Georgia Game Machines is Continental Games Inc, which holds Georgia Lottery Class B Master License #000015253. We place Class B skill game machines in businesses across Georgia, including metro Atlanta.
How does a company get a Class B master license?
Through a competitive auction run by the GLC. State law caps Class B master licenses at 220 and requires the GLC to auction at least one license every three years. Bidders must pre-qualify, pass criminal history checks on every owner and officer, and post a deposit ($100,000 for the April 2024 auction). The winner also pays the $5,000 annual Class B master license fee plus permit sticker fees.
How much does a Class B master license cost each year?
The annual Class B master license fee is $5,000 for any number of machines, plus a $125 permit sticker for each Class B machine. Licenses can be issued for one, two or three years at a time, and a late renewal costs a $1,000 late fee.
Can a store owner get a master license and own the machines in their own store?
No. Georgia keeps the two roles separate: a location owner or operator cannot have an interest in a master licensee, and a master licensee cannot have an interest in a location owner. The store hosts the machines; the master licensee owns and services them.
How is the money split between the store and the master licensee?
The GLC collects the machines' net receipts and keeps 13 percent. It sends 43.5 percent to the location owner and 43.5 percent to the master licensee, each within five business days. This split took effect May 12, 2024, under HB 353; it used to be 10 / 45 / 45.
How many skill game machines can my store have?
Up to nine Class B machines per business location (amusement and recreational establishments are exempt from that cap). Some cities and counties limit stores to six. No more than 50 percent of the store's gross retail receipts may come from the machines.