The good news for South Dakota sports bettors is that voters decided to legalize South Dakota sports betting back in November 2020 – although it is somewhat limited compared to other states. Legalized sports betting was actually not launched until 9th September 2021 when four casinos in Deadwood started their retail sports betting service.
Legislators finally bowed to the wishes of South Dakota voters in 2021, when they officially passed legislation legalizing sports betting in Deadwood city. The bill was signed into law in Marck that year by Gov. Kristi Noem. There is some ambiguity around the legislative language. However, what can be deemed from the South Dakota legislature sports betting bill is that bets can only be made on the premises at the four Deadwood casinos.
There was a further ballot in 2022 that would have expanded betting statewide by introducing online sports betting and mobile sports betting, but it died in the House after having narrowly been approved by the Senate.
Under the law of the US, any gambling that is allowed in Deadwood would also be authorized at any tribal casinos pending necessary amendments to the tribal gaming compacts.
The Future of Sports Betting in South Dakota
South Dakota sports betting was legalized in Deadwood back in 1989 to bring a bit of life back into the historic town – immortalized by the HBO show.
The legislature authorized by the South Dakota constitution would allow keno, craps, roulette, certain card games and slot machines within the 25 Deadwood casinos. The ballot of 2020 would then add sports betting to its offering.
It wasn’t until September 2021 that the very first sports bets were placed. However, these bets are still limited to Deadwood casino properties – and it doesn’t look like expansion is on the cards any time soon.
Unfortunately, Deadwood is located a long way away from South Dakota’s most populous city Sioux Falls. However, sports betting could well be introduced in the state’s 11 tribal casinos which would make it more accessible to others.
Will Online Sports Betting Launch in South Dakota?
As it stands, South Dakota sports betting legislation limits betting to only brick and mortar casinos in Deadwood plus the state’s tribal casinos.
These rules do actually permit on-premises mobile betting, although whether anyone will take advantage of this is questionable. South Dakota is considered to be a rather conservative state, so they have applied very much a go-slow approach to betting. It may be that they will offer statewide mobile betting in South Dakota – but for now, they all rely on Deadwood casinos to do the job.
This does mean that South Dakota is at a disadvantage compared to some of its neighboring states like Montana and Iowa – where online sports betting is allowed. Additionally, neighbors Wyoming also legalized mobile wagering in 2021.
Legal Sports Betting Options in South Dakota
Officially, legal sports betting in South Dakota launched in September 2021 when four Deadwood casinos opened their retail sportsbooks. In terms of online or mobile sports betting, it isn’t legal outside of legalized land-based premises.
There are offshore online sports betting sites that offer mobile sports betting to residents of the US but they are illegal. They have not been licensed by any US jurisdiction and cannot legally accept bets from any resident of the US. They are operating in violation of US federal law.
As they are not regulated in the state, these offshore sports betting sites can’t be trusted to pay out winnings and could halt their service without paying people their money.
The only way to safely and legally bet on sports in South Dakota is through a regulated and licensed sports betting operator.
Most Popular Sports to Bet on in South Dakota
South Dakota has no major professional sports teams or any major collegiate programs.
However, there are plenty of NFL betting fans and, despite the lack of a state team, they tend to follow the neighboring Minnesota Vikings.
In addition, South Dakota attracts vast numbers of tourists visiting Deadwood and Mount Rushmore – who take their own local teams into the South Dakota sports betting casinos.
Where to Bet on Sports in South Dakota
The state’s casino capital is Deadwood – and has been since 1989. There are 26 casinos in the city offering slot games, card games, roulette, craps and more. They are now also the state’s only official legal sportsbooks.
It is likely that South Dakota residents will be able to place sports bets in the following premises once the state’s legislature has drafted its full set of regulations:
- Casino Address Hours
- Cadillac Jack’s Gaming Resort 360 Main St, Deadwood, SD 57732 24/7
- Gold Dust Casino & Hotel 688 Main St, Deadwood, SD 57732 24/7
- Mineral Palace Hotel & Gaming 601 Historic Main Street, Deadwood, SD 24/7
- Tin Lizzie Gaming Resort 555 Lower Main St, Deadwood, SD 57732 24/7
- First Gold Hotel and Gaming 270 Main St, Deadwood, SD 57732 24/7
- Deadwood Mountain Grand 1906 Deadwood Mountain Drive, SD 24/7
- Silverado-Franklin Hotel 709 Main St, Deadwood, SD 57732 24/7
- Deadwood Gulch Gaming Resort 304 Cliff St, Deadwood, SD 57732 24/7
- The Historic Fairmont Hotel
Oyster Bay Bar & Casino 628 Main St, Deadwood, SD 57732 Mon-Fri: 9am–10:30
Sat & Sun 9am – 2am - Mr. Wu’s Casino 560 Main St, Deadwood, SD 57732 Mon-Sun
9am–12am
To date, the state has not legalized mobile sports betting within Deadwood city limits or within the state of South Dakota. You will need to visit one of the aforementioned casinos.
Local Teams Worth a Bet
Despite it not being the easiest state in which to place bets – and mobile betting has yet to be introduced… but if you do happen to be heading to Deadwood – who should you bet on?
Well, this isn’t the sportiest of states and there are no major professional sports teams. So, the best option is to look at those nearby states such as Minnesota and Colorado. Indeed, Denver and Minneapolis are home to some very recognisable sporting franchises for those fans of NFL betting, NBA betting and even NHL and MLB betting:
- Colorado Rockies
- Colorado Avalanche
- Denver Broncos
- Denver Nuggets
- Minnesota Twins
- Minnesota Wild
- Minnesota Vikings
- Minnesota Timberwolves
Gambling Revenue & Tax in South Dakota
Currently, in South Dakota, there is a 9% tax applied to any income that is made via sports betting in the state. This is on top of the $5,000 application and licensing fee a casino needs to pay on startup. There is also a federal gambling tax of 25% on any winnings that exceed $5,000.
The US Federal law requires retail sports betting sites and licensed casinos need to report any win of more than $600. In terms of wins under $600, gambling tax is not the responsibility of the casino. However, taxes are still payable and it is the responsibility of the bettor to submit information to the IRS.
Sports You Can Bet On in South Dakota?
In terms of South Dakota sports betting, there aren’t really many limits to what you can and can’t bet on. The South Dakota licensed premises in Deadwood generally offer a very decent variety of sports betting options including:
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Boxing
- Cricket
- Darts
- Football
- Golf
- Ice Hockey
- MMA
- Motorsports
- Rugby
- Soccer
- Tennis
- Volleyball
Whether you are a fan of NFL betting, NBA betting, NHL betting, MLB betting or even MLS, esports or NASCAR bets there are plenty of markets and betting options. You can choose from futures bets, pre-match wagers and even live in-play bets.
Daily Fantasy Sports in South Dakota
Daily fantasy sports contests aren’t regulated in South Dakota and it is considered a bit of a gray area. However, the South Dakota Attorney General made it clear back in 2015 that no legal action would be taken against any DFS operators offering their service to South Dakota residents.
As such, you can find operators such as DraftKings, FanDuel, Fantasy Draft, Yahoo! Fantasy Daily and others accepting players from South Dakota.
Horse Racing in South Dakota
Horse racing is legal in the state, but it isn’t very successful – and there have been no races in the state for over a year.
It has been active in the state since the 1950s and there are race tracks such as Aberdeen and Fort Pierre race tracks that offered limited events until 2019. After this, issues such as lack of funding and weather affected operations.
There is an off-track betting facility, the Triple Crown Casino, that operates in North Sioux City. This offers betting on many of the major horse racing events that happen throughout the US.
Residents of South Dakota can also legally bet on horses online via sites such as TwinSpires, TVG and BetAmerica.
South Dakota Sports Betting History
2019
Voters took a ballot on legalizing sports betting in South Dakota at casinos in Deadwood. The ballot was intended to be part of a larger proposal.
A fiscal note made by the Legislative Research Council in the state estimated that sports betting revenue in Deadwood would probably be around $2 million per annum – with $185,000 to be paid in state taxes.
The Senate voted for SJR 2, however, the House Committee chose not to recommend the bill.
2020
The Senate had another go with a similar sports betting resolution, this time it was more well-received by the House. In fact, SJR 501 was passed by the House by one, single vote. This led to the legalization of sports wagering being put to the vote in November. Around 60% of voters approved sports betting legalization in Deadwood.
2021
With the blessing of the voters, the state legislators passed legislation to legalize sports betting in Deadwood. The state rushed through industry rules, with a first set being approved in June 2021. The second set, more detailed, was approved on August 2.
The first-ever official sports bet in the state was placed on 9th September 2021 at Tin Lizzie Gaming Resorts – ready for the start of the NFL season.
2022
A ballot was proposed to authorize mobile sports betting in South Dakota in November 2021 and it was passed by the Senate in February 2022. However, it didn’t have quite as much success in the House.
The House Committee voted against it and this meant that sports betting in South Dakota would remain legal only in Deadwood casinos.
South Dakota Sports Betting Key Takeaways
1: Online sports betting is legal in South Dakota – but only on approved casino properties. Deadwood, SD is the only city in which you can legally bet on sports.
2: The requirements to bet on sports in South Dakota are as follows – you need to be aged 21 years or older. You must also be located in Deadwood in one of the approved casinos.
3: Sports betting is available at the Deadwood casinos – and there is also the chance to bet on Daily Fantasy Sports at online betting giants such as FanDuel, DraftKings, Yahoo! and others.
4: In terms of the legalization of online sports betting in the state, a bill that proposed the legalization of online and mobile sports betting was passed by Senate in February 2022. However, this hasn’t passed the House vote. This may eventually be decided in the 2022 general election.
South Dakota sports betting FAQ
Is Online Sports Betting Legal in South Dakota?
No, currently the state hasn’t legalized online sports betting in South Dakota.
However, retail sports betting is legal and available at any of the Deadwood casinos.
Who Regulates Sports Betting in SD?
Sports betting and gaming in South Dakota is regulated by the South Dakota Commission.
Is Mobile Sports Betting allowed?
Yes, it is- officially, but only on licensed casino property – not statewide.
Who Can Bet on Sports in South Dakota?
The legal gambling age in South Dakota is 21 – in line with the rest of the US
Can I Bet on an Offshore Online Sportsbook?
You can, but not legally. These are unlicensed and therefore you would not have any protection.
