- South Dakota’s voters approved sports betting in November 2020.
- Sports betting license applications will cost $5,000 in Deadwood, SD.
- License applications are set to begin Friday.
LAS VEGAS - South Dakota has taken yet another step towards the launch of sports betting in the state.
The South Dakota Gaming Commission has approved a set of rules and regulations for the operation of sportsbooks in Deadwood.
In November, South Dakota’s voters approved a measure that legalized sports betting in Deadwood, in addition to the other casino games that are legal in the city.
This approval set the wheels in motion - the state legislature had to vote, and the Gaming Commission had to regulate.
Now, the terms of engagement are set. In order to operate a sportsbook in Deadwood, one must be licensed, and licensing requires payment of a $5,000 fee.
License applications are set to begin by Friday, which will help to get sports betting off the ground in Deadwood.
Other measures were also included in the set of rules and regulations approved by the South Dakota Gaming Commission.
For example, the Commission passed a measure that bans employees of sports betting operators from wagering on sports, and a measure that mandates surveillance on sports betting areas while they are functioning.
The law that was passed to legalize sports betting in Deadwood will take effect on July 1, 2021. However, it will be a few months before any sportsbooks are actually available in the city, at the very least.
South Dakota Gaming Commission attorney Mike Shaw was quoted as saying: “We’re on track to get sports wagering rolling as quickly as we can.”
There are still more rules to negotiate, more regulations to put in place - the Gaming Commission has more work to do. Until those rules are in place, despite the legalization date of July 1, sports betting will not be up and running in Deadwood.
Eventually, all the details will be debated upon and compromises will be agreed to, and when that happens, sports betting will be good to go.