Casino Gambling in South Dakota

South Dakota Casino Guide

Facts About Gambling & Online Casinos in South Dakota

Not only are horse and dog race betting legal in South Dakota, but the state also allows slot machines and card games in specific areas. Per Chapter 42-7B, card games and slots are legal in Deadwood, providing voters are for them. As a result, the state’s legal casinos are all found in Deadwood. If that’s not enough of a variety for you, there’s also the South Dakota Lottery and many online casinos for U.S. players.

History of Gambling in South Dakota

The birth of casinos in South Dakota and the South Dakota Lottery go hand in hand. Gambling is really a newer entity within the state. Short on state revenue, the lottery was legalized in 1986, gaining 60 percent of the vote. Soon after, the state opted to try to legalize a video lottery, but it was shot down by the senate in 1988, but passed one year later.
This wasn’t the only big change in the late-1980s. In 1988, the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act was passed by the federal government. While many states formed compacts with tribes in their states, South Dakota passed a limited-stake gaming bill that made it legal for casinos to operate in the town of Deadwood. At first, maximum bets were set at $5, but it was raised to $1,000 over time.

Age Restrictions for Gambling in South Dakota

To buy lottery tickets or scratch-offs, players need to have reached the age of 18. To play any video lottery games, place racing bets, or play in casinos in South Dakota, state law requires players to be at least 21.

South Dakota’s Casino Gambling Outlook

South Dakota was quick to make casinos legal, but since then the government seems to ignore other gambling avenues like poker or online casinos in South Dakota. It seems as though the state is happy with the dozens of casinos in Deadwood, South Dakota.

Local Casinos

As there are many options for gambling in South Dakota, your hardest choice might come from deciding if you want to head to a land-based casino or play in an online casino in South Dakota. Here are four casinos recommended by the South Dakota Official Tourism Board.

Cadillac Jack’s Gaming Resort – At Cadillac Jack’s, table games, poker tables, and slots are all offered to guests. The 24-hour South Dakota casino has more than 200 slot machines available, so you’re going to love your options.

Deadwood Gulch Gaming Resort – Talk about having everything in one location. Deadwood Gulch has a convention center, hotel, access to hiking trails, and a casino that is open 24 hours. Play a mix of slots and other video gambling machines or head to the restaurant to purchase lottery tickets and scratch-offs.

The Lodge at Deadwood Gaming Resort – With plenty of rooms in the hotel and then an expansive casino, The Lodge at Deadwood is a prime attraction. With almost a dozen table games, a poker room, just under 300 video slots, and other gambling machines like video poker and video Keno, you won’t get bored.

Tin Lizzie Gaming Resort – This South Dakota casino is home to an Irish pub, a table game room with six tables, and more than 275 slots. There’s also a Hampton Inn available if you want to spend the night.