Legal sports betting In South Dakota is now officially a reality, thanks to local voters showing up to the polls and passing it.
SJR501 was passed by the state legislature in March of 2020. The bill went on the ballot as Amendment B and simply asked voters if they want to allow Deadwood casinos to be able to provide sports betting.
There weren’t any rules built into the ballot measure.
The tax rate, types of games available for betting, and the issue of mobile sports betting in South Dakota were all discussed and figured out in the 2021 legislative session.
There has been a bill signed into law by Governor Kristi Noem. It is Senate Bill 44 and it restricts sports betting to the town of Deadwood, effectively killing any hopes for online sportsbooks in the Mount Rushmore State.
With voters passing this measure, the 11 tribal casinos located across the state will also be able to open sportsbooks by default. Tribal casinos can offer anything Deadwood casinos can by law.
But, when can sports bettors begin putting action on sports, and which casinos will open sportsbooks? Answers should come in 2021.
Where Can You Bet On Sports In South Dakota?
Now that Amendment B was approved by voters, South Dakota sportsbooks will be permitted inside casinos at Deadwood and at the 11 tribal casinos in the state.
Those tribal casinos could be:
- Dakota Connection Casino and Travel Center (Sisseton, SD)
- Dakota Sioux Casino (Watertown, SD)
- East Wind Casino (Martin, SD)
- Fort Randall Casino (Pickstown, SD)
- Golden Buffalo Casino & Resort (Lower Brule, SD)
- Grand River Casino and Resort (Mobridge, SD)
- Lode Star Casino (Fort Thompson, SD)
- Prairie Wind Casino & Hotel (Pine Ridge, SD)
- Prairie Wind Casino Dome (Pine Ridge, SD)
- Rosebud Casino (Highway 83 and SD/NE State Line)
- Royal River Casino & Hotel (Flandreau, SD)
- Turtle Creek Crossing Casino (Mission, SD)
- Yankton Sioux Travel Plaza (Lake Andes, SD)
There are a total of 25 casinos in Deadwood alone that would qualify to open sports betting if they choose to apply for licenses.
What Sports Betting Apps Are Available in South Dakota?
Statewide sports betting apps in South Dakota were not included in the ballot measure.
The ballot measure as explained by the attorney general, “authorizes the Legislature to also include wagering on sporting events as a type of gaming allowed in Deadwood.”
Lawmakers in 2021 tried to circumnavigate the rule by having online sports betting servers located in Deadwood while the apps themselves can be accessed state-wide.
But, bills presented in the state legislature to do that died, leaving retail sportsbooks only.
South Dakota Sports Betting Timeline
2019
South Dakota sports betting efforts began in 2019 with the introduction of SJR2. The purpose of the bill would’ve done exactly what SJR501 did, which is to put the constitutional amendment up to the state’s voters.
The bill cleared the Senate in February of 2019 by a vote of 18-14. However, the bill wasn’t as well received in the House.
South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem and House Majority Leader Lee Qualm were both very much against the legalization of sports betting in the Mount Rushmore State.
2020
Deja vu hit the South Dakota legislature in 2020 as a group of bipartisan Senate members introduced SJR501 which was essentially the same bill as the year before.
The Senate this time overwhelmingly passed the bill while the House passed it by a single vote.
The difference this time around came from the fact that Iowa had already launched their sports betting industry and was taking S.D. players.
Since the state had time to study other markets and see the amount of money generated by the U.S. sports betting industry, it became clearer to let residents decide if they want the industry to enter the state.
On November 3, 2020, voters narrowly passed Amendment B which effectively legalized sports betting in South Dakota.
2021
In January of 2021, The Committee on Commerce and Energy at the request of the Department of Revenue filed Senate Bill 44. The bill would put the South Dakota Commission on Gaming in charge of regulating and sportsbooks at Deadwood and the qualifying tribal sportsbooks.
The bill would also prohibit betting on minor games, high school games, or games involving in-state colleges or athletes that play at in-state colleges.
Most notably, however, the bill outright bans online sportsbooks. It is the only bill signed into law in 2021. Other bills have come up, but all bills that have tried to legalize online sports betting or sportsbooks outside of Deadwood have died in committee.
South Dakota Sports Betting FAQs
Can I bet on college sports teams in South Dakota?
Betting on college sports teams in South Dakota is legal as long as it is not on in-state schools.
Who will regulate sports betting In South Dakota?
The South Dakota Commission on Gaming will regulate sports betting per state law.
Will I Have To Pay Taxes On South Dakota Sports Betting Winnings?
Yes. Sports betting is gambling and you’ll have to pay taxes on those winnings.