World Series of Politics Archives

August 30, 2023

Episode 21: The next step for Brazil

On the 21st episode of the World Series of Politics, hosts Brandt Iden and Brendan Bussmann are joined by Neil Montgomery, founding and managing partner at Montgomery & Associados and Hugo Baungartner, VP for global markets at Aposta Ganha to take an intercontinental deep dive into Brazil.

But before heading over to LatAm, our hosts discuss the progress made in Florida since episode 20 was released.

In the weeks since, West Flagler filed an en banc rehearing. Instead of dismissing this petition, the court has asked the Seminoles for a response – which is due on 31 August.

With so much red tape, it’s assumed that sports betting in Florida will not come any time soon. However, the idea that it could launch during the upcoming NFL season is not out of the realms of possibility.

What’s on the cards for Brazil?

Meanwhile, in Brazil, Neil Montgomery says “anything’s possible”.

The country regulated sports betting in July, after president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed the Provisional..

August 14, 2023

World Series of Politics takes on Florida sports betting in bumper 20th episode

It’s the 20th episode of the World Series of Politics: Brandt Iden, Brendan Bussmann and Robin Harrison are joined by two legal experts to pick through the Florida sports betting case in this special episode.

Florida’s sports betting market came to an abrupt halt just weeks after launch when a legal challenge blocked the Seminole Tribe of Florida’s updated compact with the state.

After two years of legal action the DC Circuit Court reversed the decision, paving the way for the Seminoles and Hard Rock Digital to relaunch. That may come as soon as this month.

Does Florida sports betting face further challenges?

But how deep does the ruling go? The case clears the way for a relaunch, but steers clear of ruling on whether the compact should have been permitted without a constitutional amendment. That issue goes back to the Florida courts to decide.

does the seminoles’ sports betting agreement need to be ratified by a state referendum?

What this ultimately means, and whether it gr..

July 11, 2023

Episode 19: Looking at Ontario’s legal gaming market with Paul Burns

Brendan Bussmann and Brandt Iden dive headfirst into Canada’s only open betting and gaming market with Paul Burns of the Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) in episode 19 of the World Series of Politics.

Paul shares his thoughts on the early stages of Ontario’s regulated market, pointing out that a strong channelisation rate suggests the Canadian province is making a successful leap from a grey to white market.

This, he explains, has levelled the field when it comes to advertising. That hasn’t prevented the naysayers from massing, however.

One of the opposition parties in the Ontario parliament has put forward a bill to ban gambling advertising – even though gaming only accounts for 3% of total ads shown in the country.

Listen to the World Series of Politics on Apple Podcasts

Looking forward, Burns assesses the future of Canadian gaming, examining the potential of sports betting and igaming in Ontario and beyond. With a foundation of responsible gaming standards and a commitment ..

June 5, 2023

Episode 17: More on Brazil plus US sports betting updates

Brendan Bussmann and Brandt Iden talk about the latest developments in US sports betting legislation, as well as more from Brazil, in episode 17 of the World Series of Politics.

We start by revisiting Brazil sports betting, the focus of our last episode, as the regulatory process undergoes yet more evolutions.

From a provisional measure to a bill in Brazil

Brazil sports betting looked set to pass through a provisional measure (PM) which Hugo Baumgartner outlined in episode 16.

However that PM is likely to be turned into a bill, which sets up even more legislative hurdles. Other forms of gambling such as integrated resorts may be incorporated into the process.

While this could expand the market, it could also result in the bill failing to pass. Brendan says “it’s clear as mud” as to what’s likely to happen now. There’s plenty more to discuss in a future episode of the World Series of Politics.

More pain for Missouri sports betting

Next we pivot to US sports betting, where Misso..

May 10, 2023

Episode 16: Hugo Baungartner talks Brazilian gaming regulation

Brandt Iden and Brendan Bussmann step outside the US to discuss ongoing sports betting developments in Brazil, plus the all-important go-live date for the market.

The development of sports betting in Brazil has been happening over the last 20 years, with people waiting eagerly for just as long, says Hugo Baungartner, the special guest this week on World Series of Politics.

A law that could legalise sports betting in Brazil is said to be imminent

“It’s the giant,” he says. “Everyone is talking about it. Everybody wants to come to Brazil.”

He notes that law has been in place to allow sports betting in Brazil since 2018, but that there has been no regulation yet, and nothing was made official by then-president Jair Bolsonaro.

But this regulation is imminent, Hugo insists, with ministers working for Brazil’s newest president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva preparing a law that could be signed in the coming days.

What can Brazil expect?

Hugo says Brazil’s government will impose a 15% tax ..

April 14, 2023

Episode 15: A win in Kentucky, plus Texas, North Carolina and more

Last week the World Series of Politics asked where all the regulatory wins were in the 2023 legislative session, and, around a day after it went live, Kentucky sports betting was signed into law.

As Brendan Bussmann says, gaming tends to be the last issue for lawmakers to consider in the session and this year is no different. Earlier in the session Kentucky looked like a “sleeper state”, Brandt Iden says, making it a great win for the session.

Kentucky sports betting’s passage was “a classic case of bipartisanship”, he adds, with the governor, Republicans and Democrats coming together to make it happen.

Missouri and North Carolina sports betting set for photo finish?

Next up is North Carolina, a state with tribal sports betting already live, where a bill to expand the market is working its way through the legislature.

Brendan is increasingly bullish on the Tar Heel State. He says attitudes on gaming are changing as more southern states look at legislation, with more efforts to..

March 14, 2023

World Series of Politics Episode 13: Governor Rick Perry on Texas sports betting

Former secretary of the environment and Texas’ longest-serving governor, Rick Perry, joins Brandt Iden and Brendan Bussmann on the World Series of Politics.

Governor Perry believes legislation from Senator Lois Kolkhorst and Representative Jeff Leach, that paves the way for a public vote on sports betting regulation, is the best way to bring legal wagering to the Lone Star State.

Listen to the World Series of Politics on Apple Podcasts

About Rick Perry:

Rick Perry is a former United States secretary of energy, serving under US president Donald Trump from March 2017 to December 2019.

Governor Perry is a strong advocate for legal sports betting in texas

As the fourteenth secretary of energy, Perry led an agency tasked with overseeing the United States’ energy supply, nuclear defense capacity, and the 17 national laboratories, home to many of the country’s best scientists.

Prior to joining the administration as secretary of energy, Perry served as the 47th governor of Texas. As gov..

March 13, 2023

Rick Perry: Texas voters will back sports betting

Political heavyweight Rick Perry believes a proposal to regulate mobile sports betting in Texas will pass “overwhelmingly” if it is put to voters.

Speaking on the World Series of Politics podcast, Governor Rick Perry said the proposal filed by Senator Lois Kolkhorst represented the best way to legalise betting in the Lone Star State.

Legal sports betting in Texas will also generate significant new revenue, he continued. The full podcast can be heard below.

It could net half a billion dollars according to recent estimates, the longest-serving governor in the state’s history said. This could pave the way for lowering other taxes, and generate more for infrastructure spending.

Governor Perry is in favour of a constitutional amendment to facilitate legal betting in Texas

Plans for Texas mobile betting

Senate Bill 715 and its House counterpart HB1942 set out the framework for regulated betting.

The bills set out plans for a mobile market, with the state’s professional sports fran..

January 17, 2023

World Series of Politics Episode 11: GeoComply’s Linsday Slader on Ohio

The special guests keep coming on the World Series of Politics, with GeoComply’s Linsday Slader joining Brendan Bussmann and Brandt Iden to discuss Ohio’s sports betting launch. Also under discussion are Brazil, Macau and the US legislative session.

The geolocation specialist’s managing director of gaming says Ohio’s sports betting launch was one of the biggest market openings in the US to date.

Over the New Year weekend alone, GeoComply recorded more than 11.3 million geolocation transactions, and Slader says around 1.2 million accounts were set up in the first week of activity.

This episode also marks the World Series of Politics’ debut on Spotify! You can also listen on Apple Podcasts, and directly from this page.

Ohio betting flies out the blocks

There’s also a wider range of betting options than ever before, with 1,000 kiosks rolled out across Ohio, and it’s going to be interesting to see how this works in tandem with a widespread mobile offering. If it keeps up its early ..

November 28, 2022

World Series of Politics Episode 8: Midterms, Maryland, Minnesota and Texas

In episode eight of the World Series of Politics, Brendan Bussmann of B Global Advisors and Brandt Iden, now Fanatics Betting and Gaming's newly appointed vice-president of government affairs, take on California, Minnesota, Texas and Maryland.

We kick off this week’s podcast by congratulating Brandt Iden, who has taken on a major new role as vice-president of government affairs for Fanatics Betting and Gaming.

California sports betting hopes crash land

Our dynamic duo start off by picking over the wreckage of California’s sports betting ballot measures, reflecting on what went so disastrously wrong.

Is Minnesota in play?

Next they run the rule on the other states where the Midterms have heralded change. Brandt is surprised by the Democrats’ clean sweep in the Gopher State, but that could create opportunities for the industry.

The party’s strong relationship with the tribes facilitate legal Minnesota sports betting in 2023. Remember, there’s more on the Midterms from Brenda..

November 3, 2022

World Series of Politics episode 7: Election preview special

The World Series of Politics returns just in time for the 2022 US midterm elections, with analysis of a number of key races across the US.

Ahead of the elections, Brendan and Brandt take a look across the US, including a final examination of whether there’s any hope of the people of California voting to legalise sports betting.

In Texas, there may be less clarity as the industry may have to consider whether to prioritise betting or casinos, while Brandt is “optimistic” that sports betting legislation could be passed in Georgia once a new legislature is elected.

There’s also a look at Washington DC’s efforts to fix what has been a struggling sports wagering regime, and at efforts to get legal betting up and running in Massachusetts.

The pair look further afield as well, pondering the impact of Lula da Silva defeating Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil’s presidential election while, in the UK, Brandt throws his name into the ring as a prime ministerial candidate, but Brendan has other ideas.
..

October 26, 2022

World Series of Politics: Bill Miller of the American Gaming Association

The World Series of Politics welcomes Bill Miller of the American Gaming Association as first guest.

AGA CEO Miller joins Brendan Bussmann and Brandt Iden to look back on this year’s Global Gaming Expo.

American Gaming Association, G2E and illegal gambling

Miller discusses this year’s Global Gaming Expo after almost 25,000 visitors descended on the Sands Convention Centre earlier in October. He also talks about the US gaming industry’s post-Covid recovery and the threat of the illegal market.

Read his interview, published earlier this week, with iGB for more from the AGA.

Maryland sports betting

This episode also features Maryland, where lawmakers have taken a step towards launching mobile sports betting after a fraught process. There’s a wager on the line between our hosts on this one, just to up the stakes further.

Brendan also discusses the state of play for Macau casinos, where recovery has been hindered by China’s zero Covid policy.

And there’s even more intrigue aroun..

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Tag: World Series of Politics