The South Dakota Commission on Gaming May 18 at a virtual hearing approved rules of the road aimed toward allowing Deadwood casinos to begin offering sports betting sometime after July 1, when the new law legalizing it goes into effect.
Some additional regulations are needed before the actual date is a lock. Commission attorney Mike Shaw told the panel, “We’re on track to get sports wagering rolling as quickly as we can.”
Sportsbook license applications were posted on the commission’s website beginning May 20 and the commission can begin accepting them on July 1. About ten casinos in the city are expected to offer sports betting.
State voters in November amended the constitution to allow sports betting in Deadwood, the only city in the state where Las Vegas style gaming is legal. In March lawmakers approved enabling legislation, SB 44, that was done in close cooperation with the Deadwood Gaming Association.
Association Executive Director Mike Rodman said, “That keeps us on target for hopefully September 1st to have sports wagering available here in Deadwood.” He added, “This was putting the rules in place for the sports wagering service providers. This is important so we can have this process in place, so the first of July, they will be able to submit their applications to the gaming commission.”
Sports betting service providers must pay a $5,000 license fee. The new rules also prohibit licensees or their employees from betting on sports events.
Some casinos in Deadwood have already begun construction of their sports betting lounges. Deadwood Mountain Grand began about a month ago and expects to be done in less than two months. It includes 19 new televisions, a sportsbook kiosk, food and beverage.
Manager Tyler Nold said, “We’d like to build something that’s cozy and small like Deadwood kind of reminds people of and we want to make it our own. We feel like we’re going to be a full-fledged sportsbook when this is all said and done.”
Tin Lizzie General Manager David Knight, added, “We have a huge space that we are converting into a dedicated sports book. It’s going to be open air to the sidewalk with wall to wall TV screens and just an immersive sports betting experience.”
City casinos are seeing their customer numbers climbing again compared to a year ago when they were in the depths of the Covid-19 pandemic.
