South Dakota’s Deadwood may eventually be able to vote on sports betting, but it won’t be until 2020. Deadwood is the only town in the state allowed to have casinos or gaming.
Although five states are legalizing or have legalized sports betting since the Supreme Court lifted the ban in May, the South Dakota process is more deliberate. A measure to amend the constitution and authorize the legislature to legalize sports book was submitted to the Secretary of State’s office on October 23.
According to Mike Rodman, executive director of the Deadwood Gaming Association, which submitted the initiative “Unfortunately, with the timing with the Supreme Court ruling it was too late to get it into this recent election.”
The association needs to submit revised language to the attorney general, who will give the measure a title and explanation and if it is approved for circulation by the Secretary of State’s Office, it will require collecting 10 percent of the voters in the most recent election to qualify for the ballot.
The South Dakota Gaming Commission’s Executive Secretary Larry Eliason told the Rapid City Journal “The voters would have to change the Constitution, then the Legislature would need to say, ‘we will implement this, and here’s how we’ll tax it.’ And the Legislature will give some state agency the authority to promulgate rules to regulate these games.”
Once the proposal is in the legislature’s hands, it could do things like impose a geographical limit, for example only allow persons physically within Deadwood to play. It could also limit the size of wagers.
Deadwood casinos are looking for ways to invigorate their industry, which has been in decline for years. Four years ago, the voters amended the constitution to allow new games: keno, craps and roulette.
