Sports betting in South Dakota is on track for an early September launch.
The Legislative Interim Rules Review Committee unanimously approved rules for South Dakota sports betting this week. The rules regulate sports wagering in the city of Deadwood, a casino resort town in western South Dakota.
The South Dakota Commission on Gaming should approve sports wagering providers at a Sept. 8 meeting, according to Deadwood Gaming Association Executive Director Mike Rodman. That would tee up SD sportsbooks at the city’s casinos to open in time for the Sept. 9 NFL kickoff.
Deadwood casinos ready for sports betting launch
Rodman expects 10 Deadwood properties will be ready for the launch. The casinos are preparing “Las Vegas-style” sports betting areas.
While the South Dakota legislation allows for mobile betting on casino premises, Rodman is unsure that will be an immediate option.
“The rules allow for [on-premise mobile], I’ll be curious if any jump onto that,” he told LSR last month. “South Dakota is a pretty conservative state, so we have a go-slow approach. Maybe sometime in the future, we’ll see statewide mobile. We have to prove ourselves in Deadwood and do a good job.”
South Dakota sports betting process
South Dakota voters approved Deadwood sports wagering at the polls in November 2020.
Legislators moved quickly to pass an enacting bill, with Gov. Kristi Noem signing the bill into law in March. The law went into effect July 1 and the state began accepting license applications the same day.
The South Dakota Commission on Gaming approved the detailed set of Deadwood sports betting rules last month.
September launch fever
Also this week, the Wyoming Gaming Commission adopted a set of rules for sports betting in Wyoming. The Cowboy State is gearing up for a potential Sept. 1 launch of mobile-only sports betting.
Similar to Deadwood casinos, Arizona sportsbooks will prepare for a likely Sept. 9 launch. Legislators in Louisiana and Maryland also passed sports betting legislation this year with the hope of launching this fall.
