Legal South Dakota Betting Sites

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South Dakota Sports Betting Apps

South Dakota law addresses “advance deposit wagering” and explicitly states that patrons may only place wagers from within licensed casinos:

SD Codified L § 42-7B-79 states:

“Any sports wagering may only be conducted in the interior of a licensed gaming establishment within the city of Deadwood. Each operator or route operator that is authorized by the commission to conduct sports wagering shall install and maintain equipment that is approved by the commission to ensure that all bets are placed from within the interior of a licensed gaming establishment within the city of Deadwood.”

Some states allow retail sportsbooks to accept mobile wagers from guests who are physically present on casino property, but that is not the case in South Dakota. Bettors must place all bets in person at the sportsbook counter or via self-serve kiosks.

However, some lawmakers are interested in changing the law and establishing a licensing process for South Dakota sports betting apps.

In early 2022, lawmakers introduced SJR 502, calling for another referendum during the next general election. The South Dakota Senate approved SJR 502 by a thin margin in February 2022, but the bill died in the House.

Undeterred, South Dakota online sports betting proponents took up the measure once again in early 2023 by introducing HJR 5006. The bill survived a close committee vote shortly after its introduction but failed on a House vote of 41-28 against.

In a debate before the vote, HJR 5006 supporters couldn’t answer how the measure would impact the gaming compacts tribes have with the state.

As a result, South Dakota online sports betting remains prohibited by state law.

South Dakota Sports Betting Locations

Most South Dakota sportsbooks are in Deadwood, but a handful of tribal casinos also offer sports wagering.

Here’s a complete list of retail sportsbook locations in South Dakota:

Deadwood Sportsbooks

• BetMGM Sportsbook at Cadillac Jack’s Gaming Resort
• BetMGM Sportsbook at Tin Lizzie Gaming Resort
• Mustang Sally’s Sportsbook
• Gold Dust Casino Sportsbook
• Dale’s Sportsbook at Deadwood Mountain Grand
• BetLodge Sportsbook at the Lodge at Deadwood

Tribal Casino Sportsbooks

In addition, tribal-owned casinos located anywhere in South Dakota may operate sportsbooks due to gaming compacts with the state that allow them to offer the same forms of gambling as commercial casinos.

• Dakota Sioux Sportsbook in Watertown
• Dakota Nation Sportsbook at Dakota Magic Casino just north of the SD/ND border near Hwy 81
• Dakota Connection Sportsbook in Sisseton

How South Dakota Legalized Sports Betting

In the November 2020 election, voters approved South Dakota Constitutional Amendment B to permit Deadwood casinos to offer sports betting.

The question appeared on the ballot after lawmakers passed Senate Joint Resolution 501 in March 2020, asking voters if the South Dakota Constitution should be amended to authorize “wagering on sporting events” within the city limits of Deadwood.

The ballot measure passed with a 58.5% yes vote.

The legislature passed the enabling legislation (SB 44) in early 2021, and Governor Kristi Noem signed it into law two months later.

Later that year, the first Deadwood sportsbooks opened to the public.

South Dakota Sports Betting Law

After voters approved sports betting in South Dakota, the legislature passed SB 44 to legalize and regulate sportsbooks in Deadwood.

Highlights of the law include:

• Minimum age of 21 to bet on sports
• Deadwood casinos may apply for licenses to operate retail sportsbooks on-premises
• Casinos that wish to operate sportsbooks pay a $2,000 initial licensing fee and a $2,000 annual fee thereafter
• Sportsbooks may accept wagers on professional, collegiate, and international sporting events
• South Dakota sportsbooks may not accept wagers on minor league sports or the performances of individual athletes in college sporting events
• Sportsbooks may not accept wagers on games involving South Dakota college teams
• The South Dakota Commission on Gaming retains the authority to adopt additional rules as needed to regulate sports betting

Additional regulations adopted by the Commission address details such as integrity monitoring requirements, anti-money laundering standards, and various consumer protection rules.

The South Dakota legislature has also considered expanding sports betting beyond Deadwood.

In February 2023, Sen. Ryan Maher introduced SB 209 to authorize self-serve betting kiosks throughout South Dakota at businesses with liquor licenses.

South Dakota Daily Fantasy Sports

Daily fantasy sports sites seem to be legal in South Dakota. Although South Dakota has not technically legalized fantasy sports contests, it hasn’t outlawed them.

Popular daily fantasy sites operate openly in South Dakota, giving sports fans choices in where to play DFS contests at.

Highly-rated daily fantasy sports sites in South Dakota include:

• PrizePicks
• Boom Fantasy
• Underdog Fantasy
• Betr
• OwnersBox
• FanDuel DFS
• DraftKings DFS

South Dakota Fantasy Sports Laws

South Dakota has not fully addressed the legality of daily fantasy sports apps, but nearly all DFS sites accept customers from South Dakota without pushback from the state.

State law prohibits gaming of any type in which anything of value is wagered (outside of casinos), but it exempts contests of skill. The question of whether fantasy sports contests qualify as games of skill has not been definitively answered in South Dakota.

However, the nation’s biggest operators have reason to believe the state will not be taking action against them. In 2015, then-Attorney General Marty Jackley issued a statement explaining the uncertain legal status of daily fantasy sports.

The statement did not provide a firm legal opinion on fantasy sports, but AG Jackley said he had no intention of taking action against DFS providers.

The AG left the door open to take action if the South Dakota Gaming Commission provides guidance declaring fantasy contests illegal, but the issue hasn’t been brought up since.

Today, South Dakota sports fans can continue to use daily fantasy sports sites and play online for real money.

South Dakota Horse Racing Betting

Advance deposit wagering (online racing betting) is legal for residents 18 or older in South Dakota.

Horse racing betting sites that operate in South Dakota must adhere to a strict regulatory framework that establishes security standards, the fair treatment of customers, and financial accountability.

South Dakota online horse racing betting is safe and well-regulated.

Numerous licensed horse racing betting sites operate in South Dakota and permit bettors to wager on races held around the country.

The most popular South Dakota horse racing betting sites available include:

• AmWager
• TwinSpires

South Dakota Racetracks

South Dakota does not have a very active live horse racing scene, but two fairgrounds hold horse races every Spring:

• Stanley County Fairgrounds
• Brown County Fair

South Dakota Off-Track Betting

South Dakota is home to just one off-track betting facility:

• Triple Crown Casino in Sioux City

South Dakota Gambling Laws

All gambling in South Dakota hosted outside licensed casinos, race tracks, and legal betting sites is unlawful.

State statutes do not exempt social games played at home, such as private poker games played among friends. Section 22-25-1 of the Codified Laws states:

Any person who engages in gambling in any form with cards, dice, or other implements or devices of any kind wherein anything valuable is wagered upon the outcome, or who keeps any establishment, place, equipment, or apparatus for such gambling or any agents or employees for such purpose, or any person who knowingly lets any establishment, structure, place, equipment, or apparatus for such gambling is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.

Successful prosecution of a Class 2 misdemeanor can result in 30 days in jail, a $500 fine, or both for players and hosts of illegal casino games.

South Dakota has never prosecuted individuals for playing at unlicensed betting sites, but the risk remains.

One of the indications that South Dakota won’t have online casinos or poker sites any time soon is a law specifically targeting online gambling. SD Codified L § 22-25A-8 prohibits the establishment of any business that conducts gambling over the Internet:

Establishment of internet gambling business prohibited. Except as provided in § 22-25A-15, no person may establish a location or site in this state from which to conduct a gambling business on or over the internet or an interactive computer service.

Furthermore, the statute explains that any wager that originates or terminates within the state is considered a separate violation under the law.

SD Codified L § 22-25A-10 makes it a Class 6 felony for the first offense and a Class 5 felony for all subsequent offenses.

Responsible Gambling in South Dakota

South Dakota has several resources dedicated to promoting responsible gambling and helping problem gamblers find treatment. An effective starting point for anyone with questions or concerns is to call the National Council on Problem Gambling helpline, which can provide answers tailored to your situation and direct you to local treatment options if necessary.

• South Dakota Problem Gambling Helpline: Call 1-800-522-4700 or text 800GAM. This confidential line connects residents to state-accredited counselors who can answer questions, provide moral support, and refer you to local specialists.
• 211 South Dakota: Dial 211 from anywhere in South Dakota for information about problem gambling and determining the next best step based on your circumstances.
• NCPG South Dakota: Visit the NCPG SD website for local problem gambling resources, helplines, and to chat live online with a trained counselor.
• Gamblers Anonymous South Dakota: Visit the official Gamblers Anonymous website to find local meetings, where you’ll meet others who have either overcome gambling addiction or who are in active recovery.

South Dakota Sports Betting Self-Exclusion

South Dakota lags other states in terms of self-exclusion. The state does not maintain a statewide self-exclusion program, so players must self-exclude from each casino individually. Self-exclusion from Deadwood casinos also extends to retail sportsbooks at those locations.

• Excluding from Deadwood Casinos: Commercial casinos in Deadwood maintain individual self-exclusion programs. Unfortunately, South Dakota Does not offer a singular self-exclusion program covering all casinos.
• Excluding from Tribal Casinos: For casinos located on tribal lands outside of Deadwood, individuals must contact the specific Tribal Gaming Commission for that reservation to request an exclusion.
• Financial Self-Exclusion: The Self Transaction Exclusion Program (STeP) allows users to block their own debit/credit cards and checking accounts from being used for cash advances or ATM withdrawals at South Dakota casinos.
• Excluding from Online Betting in SD: Residents may self-exclude from daily fantasy sports apps and unregulated online gambling platforms in South Dakota individually or by leveraging third-party software solutions like Gamban and BetBlocker.

South Dakota Sports Betting FAQ