South Dakota Online Casino Real Money – Gambling Laws in The Mount Rushmore State
The best South Dakota online casinos are listed here and waiting for you to go trough their wide portfolio of slots, live casino games and bonuses.
This page analyzes the regulations in SD, the state’s land-based gaming venue, and then gives you an overview of its online niche.
We’ll also provide tips and answers to common questions you might have about gambling in the Mount Rushmore State.
Summary of South Dakota Gambling Laws
South Dakota allows land-based casinos, pari-mutuel wagering, lottery betting, and charitable gaming.
The legal age for horse betting is 18, while the age limit for casinos is 21. All online gambling takes place at offshore sites.
| Gambling | South Dakota |
|---|---|
| Is Online Gambling Legal? | Grey Area (Offshore Sites Only) |
| Playing at Online Casinos | Grey Area (Offshore Sites Only) |
| Legal Age Online | 18 |
| Land-Based Casinos | Yes |
| Legal Age Land-Based | 18/21 |
| Online Sports Betting | No |
| Charitable Gambling | Yes |
| State Lottery | Yes |
| Social Gaming | No |
Is Gambling Legal in South Dakota?
Most forms of land-based wagering are legal in SD though the state has a strict ban on private home games.
Here is a summary of the legal status of each type of gambling in the Mount Rushmore State.
| Gambling | South Dakota Legal Status |
|---|---|
| Online Casinos | In-state online casinos cannot operate in South Dakota. However, players can still access offshore gambling sites without fear of prosecution. |
| Casino Gambling | Land-based casinos are permitted in the state. There are over 30 gambling facilities in the Mount Rushmore State. |
| Poker | Poker is legal in SD, and five casinos have poker rooms. Each has between 3 to 5 tables apiece. |
| Horse Racing Betting | Betting in horse races is legal in the Mount Rushmore State. There’s only one track in operation. |
| Dog Racing Betting | Dog racing is illegal in SD. |
| Lottery | The government sponsors a state lottery that has contributed over $3.6 billion to support education and natural resources in the state. |
| Daily Fantasy Sports | Some Fantasy Sports sites operate in the state. The attorney general stated in a memorandum that DFS exist in a legal grey area. |
| Sports Betting | Land-based sports betting is licensed in SD. However, online sportsbooks operating inside the state are not allowed. |
| Charitable Gaming | Bingo and charitable raffles are legal in SD. Games must be hosted by a registered non-profit organization. |
| Social Gaming | Private home games are banned, even if the host charges no fees and collects no rake. |
Best South Dakota Online Casinos for 2024
Many online casinos accept play from the Mount Rushmore State. The trick is finding legitimate sites with good security and fast payouts.
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Where to Gamble in South Dakota
To think it is 45th in population size, South Dakota has many gaming options. Players will find 49 land-based casinos, including 28 of them in Deadwood.
The variety from one gaming hall to the next is stark. Many have slot machines only, while a handful have a few table games and poker rooms.
Let’s take a closer look at where to gamble in SD.
Land-Based Casinos in South Dakota
Forty-nine land-based casinos operate legally in South Dakota.
Deadwood is the home to twenty-eight casinos, including Midnight Star, Lucky 8, Gold Dust Casino, and Saloon #10.
The Wild West town has more gambling venues than any US city between Las Vegas and Atlantic City.
The remaining 19 brick-and-mortar casinos are located in Flandreau, Fort Thompson, Lower Brule, Martin, Mobridge, North Sioux City, Sisseton, Valentine, and Watertown.
Horse & Dog Tracks
South Dakota has live horse racing each spring at two tracks that offer quarter-races.
- Brown County Fairgrounds in Aberdeen
- Stanley County Fairgrounds in Ft. Pierre
No off-track betting facilities exist in South Dakota.
Online Sports Betting
Seven Deadwood casinos have retail sportsbooks. Online operators are banned, though the South Dakota House voted on a bill in 2023.
Until the laws change, you must bet offshore.
Bingo Halls and Charitable Gambling
Nonprofit entities can sell pull-tab tickets and conduct bingo games and raffles.
Charitable organizations include religious, educational, fraternal, civic, public service, and volunteer fire department groups.
It can also be a political party or an action committee on behalf of a South Dakota political office.
To conduct a legal raffle, entities must give written notice to the city or county governing body where they intend to hold the drawing 30 days before.
Social Gaming at Home
South Dakota strictly prohibits social gaming at home. If a person hosts a private poker game or casino night, that individual would break the law.
The ban applies even if the host does not make a profit from attendance. The legislature wants residents gambling in the approved venues and nowhere else.
Poker Rooms and Clubs
Despite Deadwood being famous for the death of Wild Bill Hickock and the dead man’s hand, South Dakota doesn’t have that many poker rooms.
The Mount Rushmore State has less than 20 legal poker tables.
Saloon #10 in Deadwood has three poker tables. Dakota Sioux Casino in Watertown has five.
Grand River Casino in Mobridge and Fort Randall Casino Hotel in Pickstown have four. Rosebud Casino in Valentine has two.
In-state online poker sites are not licensed, so players in SD visit offshore cardrooms that offer Texas Hold’em, Omaha Holdem, and Omaha Hi-Lo.
Eight-Liners
The Mount Rushmore State allows video lottery terminals that offer Poker, Keno, Bingo, and blackjack games.
Players will not find gaming machines in truck stops and convenience stores. State law allows VLTs in bars and taverns only.
South Dakota has 1,347 licensed VLT establishments.
Real Money Online Casino South Dakota – Games You Can Play
A handful of the casino sites that accept play from South Dakota have between 500 and 600 games.
Most of these are online slots, but players will find dozens of table games, a dozen video poker variants, and specialty games like Keno, Bingo, and scratch cards.
Here is an overview of what you can find.
Online Slots
Residents can play online slots in offshore casinos. These sites have between 150 to 500 titles in their slot section.
The places with the most titles tend to offer games from multiple software providers.
Rival Gaming, Betsoft, RealTime Gaming (RTG), and Nucleus Gaming are popular developers, and you might find games from any of these companies at the sites we recommend.
Online Poker
South Dakota gamblers will need to play at offshore online poker rooms if they want a full range of blinds and game variants.
Sites like Bovada and Ignition offer cash games, sit-and-go events, turbo events, and freezeout tournaments.
Most casinos feature game variants like Texas Hold’em, Omaha Holdem, and Omaha Hi-Lo.
Blackjack
Offshore sites also offer online blackjack games. You’ll find variants like single-deck, double-deck, European, Classic, Zappit, and multi-hand blackjack.
You’ll also find Perfect Pairs, Double Exposure, Pontoon, and Australian Pontoon at certain sites.
As with slot games, players won’t face legal consequences for gaming online.
Live Dealer Games
Live dealer casinos that accept South Dakotans license real-life dealers from Fresh Deck Studios and Visionary iGaming.
Live blackjack games have bets ranging from $5 to $20,000 a hand.
Players can also bet on live baccarat and live roulette. The baccarat and Super 6 games range from $1 a hand up to $12,500 a hand.
Live roulette, which comes in the American and European versions, has bets ranging from $0.50 a spin up to $12,500 a spin.
Other Available Games at SD Online Casinos
You’ll find a handful of other games like Keno, Bingo, or Scratch Cards in the specialty games section of offshore casinos.
Below are some examples of what you’ll find at the sites we recommend.
Top Bonuses at Gambling Sites for SD Players
Welcome bonuses are one of the critical reasons players choose a particular gaming site. When reviewing sites, we consider the welcome bonus and any other promotions players will encounter. The two bonus offers below are our top picks for players from South Dakota.
South Dakota Online Gambling Laws
South Dakota has a permissive attitude toward land-based gambling, though the industry is a patchwork of competing interests.
The state turned Deadwood into a commercial gaming destination. Seven casinos in the city have retail sportsbooks but no online or mobile component.
Outside Deadwood, most casino betting takes place on tribal lands. Bars and taverns can host a few video lottery terminals (VLTs) apiece.
Here are the key statutes that govern wagering in Mount Rushmore State.
Is Online Gambling Legal in South Dakota?
In-state online wagering remains unlicensed in South Dakota.
Legislators introduced a house bill in 2023 to regulate online sports betting, but it failed in a floor vote by a 41-28 margin.
No one has backed a bill to authorize South Dakota online casinos in the past ten years.
The state has not approved any gambling websites inside its borders, but residents can join offshore operators.
State officials do not prosecute individuals for joining these sites, but there are no consumer protections, so we recommend researching and picking trusted platforms.
Possession of Gambling Devices
You cannot possess, custody, or keep any slot machine or gambling device in which anything of value is staked according to section 22-25-13 of the Codified Laws.
Exceptions: Authorized individuals can manufacture slot machines for distribution.
You can also own coin-operated pin tables and arcade amusements with free-play features.
Bingo Defined
Section 22-25-25 of the Codified Laws defines bingo gaming in South Dakota and states that prizes cannot exceed two thousand dollars per game.
The 1970 law approved charity bingo, raffles, and pull-tabs. It also placed enforcement on Gaming in the hands of the South Dakota Commission.
The Enforcement Division and Operations Divisions of the commission work together to enforce the state’s charitable gaming laws.
Social Gaming Is Not Permitted
South Dakota strictly forbids private home games where money changes hands. Hosts defy the law, even if they do not charge a rake or otherwise make a profit from the gaming.
Any person who accepts a wager on any sporting event or participates in games where anything of value is wagered is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor.
Maintaining an establishment for unlicensed gambling is also illegal.
Deadwood Sports Betting Legalization Amendment
In November 2020, SD citizens voted yes to legal retail sports betting in seven Deadwood casinos.
The vote was 58.47% to 41.53% to approve the ballot measure, also known as South Dakota Constitutional Amendment B.
The House bill that authorized the referendum was known as SJR 501. (South Dakota Constitution Section 25)
*Disclaimer: Please be advised that the information provided on this page does not constitute legal advice. Our team strongly recommends you seek professional counsel from a qualified attorney regarding your specific questions or concerns on the topic.
South Dakota Online Gambling vs. Neighboring States
South Dakota’s stance on online casinos aligns with the seven neighboring states. They all decline to license in-state gaming sites but do not prosecute individuals who play offshore.
| US State | Playing at Online Casinos | State Regulated Casinos | Social Casinos | Online Sports Betting | Lottery | Fantasy Sports | Charitable Gaming |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Dakota | Gray Area | Not Legal | Legal | Not Legal | Legal | Grey Area | Legal |
| Minnesota | Gray Area | Not Legal | Legal | Not Legal | Legal | Not Legal | Legal |
| Iowa | Gray Area | Not Legal | Legal | Legal | Legal | Legal | Legal |
| Nebraska | Gray Area | Not Legal | Not Legal | Pending | Legal | Legal | Legal |
| Wyoming | Gray Area | Not Legal | Legal | Not Legal | Legal | Legal | Legal |
| Montana | Gray Area | Not Legal | Legal | Not Legal | Legal | Legal | Legal |
| North Dakota | Gray Area | Not Legal | Not Legal | Not Legal | Legal | Legal | Legal |
South Dakota’s statutes match the laws in several adjacent states: North Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana.
Montana allows players to register and deposit money in an app but does not allow users to make bets unless they are inside one of the state’s retail sportsbooks.
SD takes a different stance on online sports betting than Iowa, while Nebraska is in the process of legalizing the activity.
The Mount Rushmore State and Minnesota have similar gaming laws, though Minnesota has an inflexible attitude toward DFS.
South Dakota Online Casino – Tips to Play Safely
Here are some tips South Dakota residents should remember when playing at offshore casinos.
Do Your Own Research
Research betting sites before creating an account and depositing cash. Ensure the casino has a reputation for safety, security, and fast payments. If not, find another place.
Bankroll Management
Limit gaming sessions by imposing loss limits and win goals. Calculate your bankroll, then bet only 1% to 3% of the bankroll on any given hand, spin, or roll of the dice.
Read the Terms of Use
To avoid nullifying your bonus winnings, read the terms of use and follow the rules to the letter.
Responsible Play
Anyone with problem gambling issues should visit the South Dakota Lottery’s responsible play page or the Department of Social Services website.
Pros & Cons of Gambling in South Dakota
South Dakotans have more land-based gaming options than people in nearby states.
However, there is still a long way to go when it comes to online wagering.
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of gambling in The Mount Rushmore State.
Pros
- SD has 49 land-based casinos, which is a lot for a state with a low population.
- People can play at video lottery terminals (VLTs) in the bars and taverns of South Dakota.
- Political parties and action committees in the state serve as non-profit charitable gaming groups that host raffles.
- Offshore gambling sites feature thousands of dollars in bonus money and dozen, if not hundreds, of free spins.
Cons
- Deadwood is home to most land-based casinos. Players elsewhere might have to drive a long distance.
- Limited game selection at the land-based casinos. They have few poker games and limited table game selections.
- The return-to-player on VLTs is much lower than on many Las Vegas slots.
Future of Online Gambling in South Dakota: Our Prediction
While Jamison’s 2023 bill to expand online sports betting in the state failed, the representative will likely introduce a similar bill in the upcoming years.
As nearby states approve online sportsbooks, we expect South Dakota leaders to reconsider their stance on the matter in the coming years.
Following this, we may see some proposals for introducing online casinos, but until then, South Dakotans will keep playing real money games at offshore sites.
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Answers to Our Readers’ FAQ
Here are the most popular questions about gambling in South Dakota.
Are there real money online casinos in South Dakota with no deposit bonuses?
Yes. Lincoln Casino has a $15 no-deposit bonus for new players. Red Dog Casino also has a $15 sign-up bonus. Those are the two best sites for bonus shoppers.
How will my gambling winnings be taxed in South Dakota?
South Dakota gamblers must pay 9% in gaming taxes on their gross proceeds from gambling.
Free play value is not included in the gross proceeds, while the cash prizes deducted are adjusted not to include 90% of the free play.
Finally, the federal excise tax on sports wagers is a deduction from the adjusted gross proceeds.
Is there any risk of being prosecuted for playing at online casinos that are outside of South Dakota?
No. South Dakota law enforcement does not prosecute gamblers who play at sites outside of the state.
If someone launched a betting site and accepted real money play, they would face prosecution. Residents playing in the privacy of their own homes do not face legal repercussions.
Disclaimer
As part of our commitment to transparency, it’s important to disclose that this website engages in affiliate marketing. This means that when you click on our links to online casinos and make a purchase or sign up, we may earn a commission.
These commissions contribute to the upkeep of our platform and the creation of valuable content. While we aim to provide accurate and unbiased information, it’s crucial to note that our reviews are not influenced by affiliate partnerships.
Additionally, we advocate for responsible gambling practices and encourage users to gamble responsibly. If you believe you may have a gambling problem, please seek assistance from relevant support services.
