Episode 12: Missouri, Georgia, New York and federal moves

Brandt Iden is back on the World Series of Politics after his break over ICE London, rejoining Brendan Bussmann to discuss a flurry of sports betting activity across the US.

The dynamic duo kick off with Missouri, where multiple attempts to regulate betting have been made over the past five years.

Senator Denny Hoskins has long been a champion of the industry, but could 2023 be the year Missouri sports betting finally crosses line? Once again there's a bottle of wine on the time, as to whether it beats North Carolina in regulating.

There's also renewed hopes in Georgia, though it's looking likely to go to a ballot, Brendan says. After its missteps in Florida and California, the industry will have to learn from each of those failures if it is to enjoy a successful campaign.

However Brandt argues sports betting is a new lottery product, something that would avoid a public vote on the matter. The guys are split on whether a bill makes it through by the end of March; Brandt is confident, but Brendan is more circumspect.

New York may soon expand the ranks of regulated igaming states, with Senator Joseph Addabbo filing a proposal to legalise icasino. A 30.5% tax rate is tough, Brandt says, though would allow up to 20 licences.

New York differs from others states in that the prospect of new revenue, rather than consumer protections, are front of mind. That could mean it's not set up correctly, Brendan warns however.

Episode 12 ends by looking at moves at a federal level, with the government seeking to bring in the FCC to monitor industry advertising. But is this sort of intervention justified?