"I’m a big believer that the failures are what lead to the greatest successes… When you do hit five states in one year, everybody the next year all of a sudden has a little more pep in their step." ~ Jeremy Kudon
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In this episode of the Talking Shop podcast, I had the privilege of talking to Jeremy Kudon, partner at Orrick Public Policy Group and president of the Sports Betting Alliance — Jeremy doesn’t do many podcasts, so I was incredibly excited when he agreed, and the discussion doesn’t disappoint.
We start off with Kudon’s journey from litigator to a key figure in gambling legislation, starting with his unexpected entry into the field in 2014 through a venture capital firm’s inquiry about daily fantasy sports (DFS).
The rest, as they say, is history. Kudon played a pivotal role in legalizing DFS across multiple states and defying expectations set by prior gambling legislation efforts like online poker. He stresses the importance of grassroots campaigns to influence legislators, underscoring the localized dynamics of state-level bills.
The discussion then turns to the momentum-driven nature of legislative campaigns, with comparisons to sporting events where early wins boost confidence, while repeated failures, like in Georgia, create fatigue.
Kudon highlights the current focus on iGaming, noting the fierce opposition from casinos concerned about cannibalization, despite evidence suggesting minimal impact. Still, he remains optimistic about iGaming’s future, predicting significant progress within two years, driven by fiscal needs and strategic advocacy.
The conversation also covers emerging challenges, including sweepstakes operators and prediction markets like Kalshi, which Kudon views as potentially complementary to licensed operators if federally legalized.
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