Sports Betting Will Be on Fall Ballot in South Dakota
Published November 1, 2020 by Elana K
The question of sports betting will be included on South Dakota's fall ballot under Amendment B. The amendment would legalize sports betting in the city of Deadwood and in Native American gaming facilities.
The question of sports betting will be included on South Dakota's fall ballot under Amendment B. The amendment would legalize sports betting in the city of Deadwood and in Native American gaming facilities.
Deadwood and Tribal Casinos
The constitution of South Dakota prohibits gambling but gives the state legislature the power to allow certain types in the city of Deadwood. Types of gambling that are currently allowed include roulette, craps, keno, slots, and certain card games. Amendment B on this fall’s ballot would expand the list to include sports betting.
At the same time, federal law requires that any gaming option okayed by the state legislature must be allowed at tribal casinos. This means that if Deadwood sports betting is approved, it will automatically be approved for the state’s tribes. There are about 20 Deadwood commercial gaming sites and 9 Native American casinos.
Projections
Even if South Dakota residents vote in favor of Amendment B, sports betting won’t happen overnight. It will take time for lawmakers to pass regulations, which can cover topics from mobile betting to taxes to skins. Operators will also need to apply for licenses and be approved, which means that sports betting won’t be up and running until the second half of 2021.
Mobile betting, in particular, is a touchy subject, since the amendment calls for sports betting only in Deadwood (and subsequently, tribal casinos). It doesn’t allow for online gambling, though one possible loophole is to set the servers up in Deadwood. Allowing mobile sports, as evidenced in other states, would mean many more potential streams of revenue. In New Jersey, for example, the majority of sports betting takes place online.
South Dakota is one of the most conservative states, which means that passing the amendment won’t be easy. The lawmakers who support sports betting in South Dakota recognize the potential it has to generate sizable revenue for the state. But a conservative population may have other concerns. Speaker of the House Steve Haugaard, for example, says that legalizing sports betting will fuel gambling addiction. The residents of South Dakota will have their say soon enough.
