South Dakota Gambling
As a Northern US state, South Dakota has welcomed gaming in all its forms for a long time. Since the late 1980s, or 1989, to be precise, it has been one of the gambling hotspots in the “home of the free and land of the brave”. That year, The Mount Rushmore State legislators recognized the potential South Dakota gambling industry could bring to dead miner towns and took a leap of faith to legalize gaming.
Overview of Gambling in South Dakota
The town that started it all is called Deadwood. To prevent it from becoming yet another ghost town, South Dakota authorities decided to legalize almost all forms of gambling and haven’t looked back since. But what’s the situation with the South Dakota casino scene today, more than 30 years later? Deadwood is not exactly Las Vegas, but it is far from ruins.
Gambling in South Dakota is allowed for everyone older than 21. The only exceptions are simulcast and live horse races where the age limit is 18. The eligible forms of betting are casino gaming (slot machines included), live poker, bingo, State lottery and sports betting.
Plenty of options to choose from, that’s for sure! However, like in many other states, laws aren’t precise, clear, or in line with the industry trends, so there is a lot of wiggle room for different interpretations. For that reason, one should never forget that penalties for partaking in illegal gambling activities are more severe than in other jurisdictions.
Top Gambling Cities in South Dakota
The casino capital and the only true casino city in South Dakota is Deadwood. Not that you won’t find casinos scattered here and there, in Lower Brule or Flandreau, but there is only one place in South Dakota we can call a gambling city.
Deadwood Casinos
Deadwood is a town that managed to rise from the ashes, all thanks to the gambling industry. Today, it no longer houses miners but casino houses welcoming players from all over the United States. You could say that it's a gambling city in South Dakota on the up.
The biggest of Deadwood casinos is the Silverado Franklin Hotel and Casino, with gaming halls spreading across 25,300 square feet. The historical setting is attractive to both gambling fans and history buffs, as well as lovers of late 19th-century architecture. For a more contemporary feel, pay a visit to Cadillac Jack’s Gaming Resort.
Online Gambling in South Dakota
This beautiful state sure has many brick-and-mortar options, but what about online gaming? Is online gambling legal in South Dakota? The answer depends on what you are interested in.
Generally speaking, online casino gambling is not allowed. Certain lottery and casino employees, under certain conditions, may place online bets, but the law makes it perfectly clear how these bets shouldn’t be staked for personal gain. Essentially, if it’s their work to do so, they won’t be prosecuted for it.
The gambling law also mentions how no entity nor individual will use the internet to organize gambling activities, thus making online casino sites in South Dakota illegal. Even though you might encounter an online casino, we strongly recommend staying away from unlicensed brands. Gaming is fun only as long as it is safe.
At the time being, there is little to no initiative to expand what online gambling South Dakota has to offer. Perhaps the legalization of online sports betting will provoke authorities to pull the trigger and make the dream of real money online casino South Dakota sites come true.
Online Poker
South Dakota hasn’t legalized online poker quite yet. Everyone wanting to enjoy this thrilling game can do so in land-based establishments. The biggest poker platforms, such as Poker Stars, don’t accept players from The Mount Rushmore State, and as always, we recommend playing only with big, regulated, and licensed operators.
Online Betting
Legal sports betting South Dakota is already something that locals can enjoy, and pretty soon, players will be able to enjoy sports wagering in a more relaxed and contemporary way. 2022 was the big year for the industry, as the passing of SJR 502 announced a new era in the world of online sports betting.
At the moment, players can bet online, but only as long as they are at the casino premises. You can take a shot at wagers on professional, collegiate, and international events, but not on minor league sports or individual college sporting events. Additionally, you can’t bet on local South Dakota college teams. It is believed the same rules will be applied to online sports betting in South Dakota.
Tribal Gaming
South Dakota recognizes 7 Native tribes: Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes (AST), Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (CRST), Lower Brule Sioux Tribe (LBST), Oglala Sioux Tribe (OST), Rosebud Sioux Tribe (RST), Standing Rock Sioux Tribe (SRST), and Wood Mountain First Nation (WMFN). Most of them are involved in the gaming industry and operate 11 Native casinos in total.
During 2020, the year of the global pandemic, Native communities experienced devastating consequences of casino lockdowns. It is estimated that tribal economies lost $10 billion in casino revenues, meaning less funding for health care, education, housing, and much more.
Luckily, there is a ray of hope on the horizon and a brighter future in front of tribes and their casinos. Sioux Tribes proved to be especially on trend and have already introduced sports betting. Both Dakota Sioux Casino and Dakota Magic Casino Hotel showed some team spirit and introduced sports betting at their premises. For now, none of them shows any intention to offer online sports betting platforms.