Casinos in South Dakota USA
Rachel Elam | January 20, 2020 | Updated on: December 4th, 2023
Casinos in South Dakota have a rich history that spans from the Black Hills Gold Rush days in 1874. The central hub of gambling in South Dakota was in the town of Deadwood, which would later become South Dakota’s gambling themed tourist destination. Furthermore, the Native American tribes in the SD territory have their own casinos which also provide a good number of casinos in SD. South Dakota became the third state in America to legalize gambling. Currently, US gamblers can find video lottery machines in bars and gas stations across the state in towns of all sizes. Deadwood SD gaming brings in about $110 million a year while revenue from video lottery is making about $200 million per year.
The gambling industry in this state is regulated and monitored by the SD Gaming Commission. For those who would like to visit casinos in South Dakota, it’s important to remember that the minimum gambling age in South Dakota for playing in casinos in SD is 21 years old. This also extends to playing video lottery and betting on racing. However, you can be 18 years old to play the state’s traditional lottery. Let’s take a look at casinos in South Dakota, South Dakota gambling laws, a list of casinos in South Dakota, and a brief tour of the state’s history with gambling.
Best Casino Sites for South Dakotans
-
24/7 live chat and telephone customer service
-
Play on any mobile and desktop device
-
Bitcoin supported
-
90% Cost coverage, no annual limit
-
Easy, straightforward claims process
-
No annual or lifetime limits
-
Great selection of casino games
-
Wide variety and selection of bonuses
-
All licensed vets are covered
-
Up to 90% reimbursement
-
VetConnect™ 24/7 helpline
-
Save 40% for eligible multiple bets
-
Great range of RTG slot machines.
-
Reliable and experienced gaming operator.
-
Networked RTG progressive jackpots.
Gambling in South Dakota Casinos
Gambling in South Dakota casinos has its own rules and regulations. This is pretty much expected as each state establishes its own rules around activities like gambling and casinos. In South Dakota, its citizens don’t have to pay an income tax. Instead, the state relies heavily on sales tax and taxes placed on casinos in South Dakota for its general funds. Deadwood SD gambling pays about $10 million per year in taxes. And the video lottery and traditional lottery are also taxed, bringing in about $100 million and $50 million respectively a year.
South Dakota Gambling Laws
To understand how South Dakota gambling laws work, we first have to understand how they define gambling. The state of South Dakota defines gambling as “wagering anything of value upon the outcome of a game of chance; maintaining gambling place or equipment”.
Legal Types of Gambling in South Dakota
The legal types of gambling in South Dakota are:
- Blackjack
- Slots
- Craps
- Roulette
- Poker
- Video poker
- Horse racing and off-track betting
- Dog racing and off-track betting
- Lottery
- Video lottery
- A daily fantasy sport (DFS)
Illegal Types of Gambling in South Dakota
The illegal types of gambling in South Dakota include:
- Traveling for the sole purpose of gambling
- Persuading others to visit casinos in SD
- Bookmaking
- South Dakota-based internet casinos
Online Casinos in South Dakota USA
Online casinos in South Dakota USA are prohibited. The only type of online gambling that’s explicitly legal in SD is horse racing. Brands like BetAmerica, TVG, and TwinSpires have both websites and mobile apps where you can place bets.
Additionally, daily fantasy sports (DFS) is technically legal under South Dakota gambling laws. However, much like in other states, there are questions around the validity behind the claim that DFS isn’t gambling. For those looking to play casino games online, it’s possible for South Dakotans to play at offshore casino sites. If you do, you don’t face the risk of prosecution as online gambling laws are aimed at “those in the gambling business”.
Casinos in SD
There are plenty of casinos in SD for your enjoyment. Currently, there are 10 commercial Deadwood casinos and nine Indian casinos in South Dakota. Find a list of casinos in South Dakota below.
Deadwood Casinos
| Casino | Features | Address |
| Best Western Hickok House | 27 slots | 137 Charles St. |
| Buffalo Bodega Complex | 74 slots | 658 Main St. |
| Bullock Hotel & Casino | 60 slots | 633 Main St. |
| Cadillac Jack’s Gaming Resort | 181 slots | 360 Main St. |
| Celebrity Hotel & Casino | 84 slots | 629 Main St. |
| Comfort Inn at Gulches of Fun Casino | 60 slot machines | 225 Cliff St. |
| Deadwood Dick’s Saloon | 3 slot machines | 51 Sherman St. |
| Deadwood Gulch Gaming Resort | 170 slots | 304 Cliff St. |
| Deadwood Gulch Saloon | 78 slots | 560 Main St. |
| Deadwood Mountain Grand Hotel & Casino | 200 slots | 1906 Deadwood Mountain Dr. |
| Deadwood Station Bunkhouse & Gambling Hall | 25 slots | 68 Lower Main St. |
| First Gold Hotel & Gambling | 300 slots | 270 Lower Main St. |
| Gold Country Inn | 26 slots | 801 Main St. |
| Gold Dust Casino & Hotel | 200 slots | 688 Main St. |
| Hickok’s Hotel & Gaming | 100 slots | 685 Main St. |
| Iron Horse Inn | 19 slots | 27 Deadwood St. |
| Lucky 8 Casino | 82 slots | 196 Cliff St. |
| McKenna’s Gold Casino | 50 slots | 470 Main St. |
| Midnight Star | 57 slots | 677 Main St. |
| Mineral Palace Hotel & Gaming | 320 slots | 601 Historic Main St. |
| Mustang Sally’s | 42 slots | 634 Main St. |
| Old Style Saloon 10 | 80 slots | 657 Main St. |
| Oyster Bay Casino | 60 slots | 628 Main St. |
| Silverado Casino | 360 slots | 709 Upper Main St. |
| Tin Lizzie Gaming Resort | 280 slots | 555 Lower Main St. |
| Wooden Nickel Casino | 80 slots | 9 Lee St. |
Indian Casinos in South Dakota
| Casino | Features | Address |
| Dakota Connection Casino | 150 slots | 46102 South Dakota Hwy, 10 Sisseton |
| Dakota Sioux Casino | 400 slots | 16415 Sioux Conifer Rd, Watertown |
| East Wind Casino | 100 slots | Highway 18, Martin |
| Fort Randall Casino | 350 slots | East Highway, 46 Pickstown |
| Golden Buffalo Casino & Resort | 200 slots | 321 Sitting Bull Street, Lower Brule |
| Lode Star Casino | 220 slots | 1003 SD Highway, 47 Fort Thompson |
| Prairie Winds Casino & Hotel | 250 slots | Highway 18, Pine Ridge |
| Rosebud Casino | 250 slots | Highway 83 and SD/NE State Line |
| Royal River Casino & Motel | 386 slots | 607 S. Veterans Street, Flanreau |
| Turtle Creek Crossing Casino | 26 slots | 28281 US Highway, 18 Mission |
| Yankton Sioux Travel Plaza | 5 slots | 38581 SD Highway, 46 Lake Andes |
History of Casinos in South Dakota
The history of casinos in South Dakota goes back to the Black Hills Gold Rush of 1874. Back-room card games were some of the first forms of gambling in the state, with the most famous ones being in the Deadwood. Deadwood was home to one of the most famous gamblers, “Wild Bill” Hickok.
Then the racing industry started to develop in the early 20th century and greyhound and horse racing became legal in the 1940s. With regulations expiring in 2011, there are no longer any operating dog racing tracks in SD.
1986 saw the establishment of a South Dakota Lottery and the first tickets were sold in September 1987. The state legislature then passed a bill that allowed video lottery games. South Dakota’s two largest cities – Sioux Falls and Rapid City – are inundated with video lottery casinos. There were some legal battles, with video lottery games surviving three statewide referendums and an adverse Supreme Court ruling. Opponents had sued the state lottery, saying that video gaming outside Native American reservations and Deadwood violated the state constitution. An amendment was made that allowed video lottery games to continue to thrive in taverns and gas stations.
The opening of Deadwood as a gambling tourism destination took place in 1989. The only casino games available were slots, video poker, blackjack, and poker. Subsequently, in 2014, voters approved the addition of craps and roulette. Indian casinos in South Dakota began popping up in 1990.
FAQs About Casinos in South Dakota
Yes, gambling is legal in South Dakota.
There are numerous commercial and tribal casinos in SD where you can gamble. Check out our list above for more on them.
Currently, the status of legalized online South Dakota gambling is that it’s not permitted under South Dakota gambling laws. The only form of legalized gambling permitted in South Dakota is off-track betting. Daily fantasy sports sites claim to operate within the state’s skill gaming laws. The attorney general and gaming commission have declined to issue an opinion on the games without action from the state legislature.
Players have little legal risk gambling online in South Dakota. No player has ever been charged and no site has received an indictment that originated in the state. The main concern for players is getting paid by the site, not any potential legal action.
The maximum bet limit on games at casinos in SD is $1,000. This means that South Dakotan players can’t bet more than $1,000 on any one hand or round.
More States Gambling Guides
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New York
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Rhodes Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee