The World Series of Politics is back with two special guests, as Sara Dalsheim and Abbey Block of Ifrah Law join our dynamic duo Brendan Bussmann and Brandt Iden to talk sweeps, lawsuits and some lessons from the Sunshine State. 

We kick off with Brandt’s home state of Michigan, where state senators Sam Singh and Jeremy Moss are seeking to bump up betting and igaming tax rates. There’s a modest 0.1% increase proposed for sports betting, but SB1194 aims to add 1% to the current tiered rate for igaming. 

Just when we thought the year’s nasty surprises were done with, Brandt has a found a lump of coal in his stocking. As ever it’s a case of lawmakers trying to flog the golden goose. 

Is Florida’s tribal sports betting framework the model to follow?

Abbey and Sara also take on the knotty issue of Florida sports betting. With the Seminole tribe taking tentative steps towards welcoming others into the monopoly, could this set out a blueprint for other tribal-led gaming states?

Not so fast, they say. The Seminoles hold the Sunshine State’s gaming monopoly – how can that model be applied to the likes of California or Oklahoma where multiple tribes run gaming?

Litigating the coming year in US sports betting

And we’re almost done with 2024, so 2025 promises a whole host of new challenges. We’re going to see a lot more consumer-based litigation and disputes, Abbey and Sara warn, especially around deceptive advertising practices. To date DraftKings and Hard Rock are facing down lawsuits and it’s an issue that could hinder other operators in the market. 

Sweeping changes?

The grey market is also dealing with the threat of litigation, most notably in the sweepstakes market. Michigan has been the most effective in stamping out sweepstakes operators, but that’s really coming down to the fact they can conclusively say it is illegal under state betting and igaming regulations. 

Does that mean the most effective form of attack against sweeps is regulating the vertical?