South Dakota Casinos & Online Gambling Sites

Most of the South Dakota casinos are located in Lawrence County and offer slots and classic table games, but local gambling enthusiasts have more option to choose from. Simulcast pari-mutuel gambling is allowed in designated facilities. Charitable gambling is also available and the state operates its own lottery.

South Dakota doesn’t have a proper intrastate iGaming industry, so gamblers that enjoy playing online are essentially forced to stick to offshore real money gaming platforms.

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Online Gambling in South Dakota

Engaging in unauthorized gambling is a Class 2 misdemeanor in South Dakota, yet pertinent regulations have been drafted with live games in mind and simply ignore the issue of online play. As a consequence, it’s difficult to determine whether playing on offshore sites is a punishable offense. Sometimes rules are unclear.

There exists no legal precedent because the state never attempted prosecuting an online gambler, so most individuals reasonably assume that playing online is perfectly legal and opt to pursue their hobby without realizing the ambiguous nature of the existing regulations. It’s simple to feel lost or bewildered with abundant iGaming platforms to pick from, but fortunately finding a quality site that will suit your desires isn’t all that hard if you remember about a few basic principles. There's always an option available.

Initially, if you’re seeking a place to play poker, always choose a site with a large player base over a site with limited traffic. The reasons behind this are somewhat straightforward: the number of players determines the number of available tournaments games and the size of tournament prizes. When it comes to digital casinos, you can afford searching for the best bonuses as long as you don’t forget about sticking exclusively to sites that offer an appealing and diverse game selection.

Ultimately, if you wish to wager on American or European sports, you should regularly compare several sportsbooks in terms of prices, promotions and betting choices. In fact, in many cases, it is wise to have more than one sports betting account, as this grants you to choose better odds on sporting events that you’re curious about. Consider all available options.

Casinos in South Dakota

Less than an hour drive from one of the most famed symbols of American history, the National Monument at Mount Rushmore, lies one of the most enduring symbols of the history of the untamed wild west – the city of Deadwood. The final resting place of the famed gunfighter and folk hero Wild Bill Hickok is also home to 20 commercial casinos, all required to maintain the architectural style of Deadwood’s most famous years – the 1890s.

The casinos in Deadwood are:

• 777 Casino at the Holiday Inn Express
• Bodega Casino
• Buffalo-Bodega Complex
• Cadillac Jack’s Gaming Resort
• Deadwood Gulch Gaming Resort
• Deadwood Gulch Saloon
• Deadwood Mountain Grand Casino
• Deadwood Station Bunkhouse & Gambling Hall
• First Gold Hotel & Gaming
• Gold Dust Casino
• Historic Bullock Hotel
• Iron Horse Inn Casino
• Mineral Palace Casino
• Mustang Sally’s Casino
• Saloon #10 Casino
• Silverado Franklin Historic Hotel & Gaming
• The Lodge at Deadwood Gaming Resort
• Tin Lizzie Gaming Resort
• VFW Post 5969 Gambling
• Wooden Nickel Casino & Iron Horse Casino

The casinos in Deadwood are permitted by law to host blackjack, craps, poker, roulette, keno, and slot machines.

Along with the commercial casinos in Deadwood, South Dakota houses nine tribal casinos run by seven different native tribes. These establishments are located in the following cities:

• Sisseton
• Watertown
• Wagner
• Mobridge
• Lower Brule
• Fort Thompson
• Pine Ridge
• Flandreau
• Mission

You must be 21 to visit any of the South Dakota casinos.

Online casinos are illegal.

South Dakota Sportsbooks & Sports betting

Mike Rodman, Executive Director of the Deadwood Gaming Association, said of the possibilities of sports betting coming to South Dakota: “It would be a process and it would take some time, but [the Supreme Court’s ruling] is a great first step.”

This process would include a change to the state’s constitution, so it’s not likely to be simple or quick. However, the casinos in Deadwood are putting their significant weight behind an effort to bring the amendment to voters as early as in 2025.

Until such an amendment is passed, sports wagering in South Dakota will remain illegal.

Fantasy Sports Gambling

As is the case in many other states, the legality of daily fantasy sports in South Dakota has yet to be officially addressed. It hasn’t been declared legal, but it hasn’t been made illegal, either.

DraftKings, FanDuel, and most other DFS companies are currently operating in South Dakota, and Attorney General Marty Jackley has confirmed that his office has no intention of stopping them.

“Based upon the current state of uncertainty, including the ongoing debate on whether daily fantasy sports wagering is predominantly a permissive game of skill or an unlawful game of chance, it will not be my intent to seek felony indictments here in South Dakota absent a clear directive from our state legislature.”

Most experts agree that if the state legislature were to take action, it would be to legalize DFS.

Until then, players can continue to play unregulated DFS.

Animal racing

In South Dakota, horse racing is legal (although not plentiful) and regulated by the Commission on Gaming. This past year, the commission authorized 14 days of live horse racing, and a similar schedule is expected for 2019.

The 2018 live racing events were held at the following venues:

• Stanley County Fairgrounds in Fort Pierre
• Brown County Fairgrounds in Aberdeen

Simulcast racing and off-track betting are also allowed and very difficult to come by. Only one location in the state is authorized by the SDCG – the Triple Crown Casino in North Sioux City.

You must be at least 18 years old to place a wager on live or simulcast racing.

The last greyhound track in South Dakota closed in 1994.

South Dakota Poker Games

With the abundance of casinos in South Dakota and poker as one of the few allowed table games, it’s no surprise that the state is home to many active poker rooms that host daily and weekly tournaments.

The highest-profile poker tournament is the annual South Dakota State Poker Championship held each May at the Silverado Franklin Hotel and Historic Gaming Complex in Deadwood, with $100,000 in guaranteed prizes.

Because the state’s legal poker rooms are all located in operating casinos, the minimum age for players is 21.

Home poker games are also legal as long as no one profits off hosting them and they remain inside a privately owned residence.

Lottery

The South Dakota Lottery was created in 1987, and it offers customers three different game types. If you’re 21 years or older, you can play at a video lottery establishment – the first video lottery in the nation. If you’re at least 18, you can buy scratch-off tickets and play any of the following draw games:

• Dakota Cash
• Lucky for Life (multi-state)
• Lotto America (multi-state)
• Mega Millions (multi-state)
• Powerball (multi-state)

South Dakota also runs a lottery mobile app that you can download and use to play draw games. The app gives club members exclusive access to “second chance” games with previously non-winning tickets.

All prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the game’s completion.

Bingo

A handful of the casinos situated in South Dakota offer bingo games, but most bingo played in the state is held by authorized non-profit organizations that hold state-issued licenses. Bingo operators must adhere to the following rules:

• A maximum prize of $2,000 may be awarded
• Compensation for employees of the organization hosting the games must not exceed the state’s minimum wage or $60 – whichever is greater
• Players must be at least 18 years old

You can find legally operating bingo halls in more than 30 South Dakota cities.

South Dakota Online Gambling FAQ

How Do I Get Started?

Getting started may sound like a really daunting task, but in reality its quite easy if you know what to expect. You should already know what site you’re going to play on, so the next logical step would be to sign up for a gambling account and make the first deposit. Please note that every account has to undergo a verification process, which might take up to 2 days.

How Do I Get My Money if I Win?

The funds tied to your gambling account are always at your disposal, almost like in the case of e-wallet sites. If you need a payout, you should open the cashier menu and place an appropriate request. Most sites process those requests within 48 hours and use wire transfers to send you the money, which means that your winnings tend to arrive within less than 14 days from placing the original request.

What is the minimum age to gamble online in South Dakota?

Signing up for an offshore gambling account requires you to be at least 18 years old. Please note that the official land-based casino gambling age of 21 has nothing to do with playing on iGaming sites.

How do I open an account?

Opening an account requires you to fill out a short registration form. If you’d like to gamble for real money, you’ll have to verify your account by undergoing a very basic identity check.

Where can I open my account from?

Most South Dakota sites allow you to open your gambling account from anywhere in the United States.

From where can I access South Dakota online gambling sites?

Most gambling sites never block US connections, so from a technical standpoint, you should be able to play the real money games from anywhere in the country. However, you should always keep the local regulations in mind if you’re planning to gamble as you travel, as the consequences of getting caught playing internet games of chance for money in Washington or Utah may be very unpleasant.

Where can I familiarize myself with the official regulations over gambling in South Dakota?

If you want to learn more about the local gambling regulations, you should read Section 22 of South Dakota Code.

How do I deposit to my online gambling account?

Most South Dakota gamblers make their first deposit using a standard credit card payment. We recommend Visa or MasterCard for maximum reliabilit

How do I withdraw my winnings?

Offshore sites usually allow you to choose between a wire transfer and a check by mail.

Is my money safe?

Your money is safe as long as you play on the secure sites listed here. If you want to try a different site, you should research it first in order to ensure that it isn’t run by scammers or other dishonest people.

What body regulates gambling in South Dakota?

The South Dakota Commission on Gaming and the South Dakota Lottery.

Updated: 10.05.2025