COVID-19 Delays South Dakota Sports Betting Campaign
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Mike Rodman is looking to get sports betting on the South Dakota ballot in November. Rodman is apart of the Deadwood Gaming Association and was launching a campaign to educate people on sports betting. However, COVID-19 has delayed the campaign and will resume later this summer.
Despite delays, Rodman still believes the campaign will help pass sports betting in Deadman. If passing a sports betting bill in South Dakota happens, then they will be able to launch as soon as July 1, 2021. In March, the joint Senate put sports betting on the November ballot in Pierre.
Sports betting needs to be passed by a simple majority for state legislators to begin writing up the rules on sports wagering in South Dakota. Legal sports betting in South Dakota looks promising with multiple reports stating South Dakotans have been traveling to Iowa to register accounts and place bets.
Importance of Deadwood
Deadwood is the biggest domino in South Dakota sports betting legalization. Right now, according to Senate Joint Resolution 501, Deadwood, South Dakota will be the only town to allow sports betting. The legalization process is still early in the works, but if Deadwood can get it on the November ballot, then sports betting in South Dakota looks promising.
Also, Deadwood would most likely be the first city to offer sports betting in the state. Legislators would still have to create details for the state, but Deadwood would be at the forefront of sports betting.
Mike Rodman is planning to relaunch the sports betting campaign in Deadwood. The sports betting campaign is to educate people on sports betting, and what it would mean to the state if legal. Only a simple majority is needed to pass sports betting, and legislators would then decide how the state would handle it.
However, if Deadwood is the only place to allow sports betting, then it could be an issue. Deadwood is on the west side of the state. Many South Dakotans travel to Iowa to place bets. The state would need to expand sports betting across the state to keep revenue from leaving. No on is Sioux Fall would travel to Deadwood when Iowa is a much closer drive. Sports betting will need to be available across the state.
Next Steps
Sports betting campaigns still need to take place to get South Dakotans interested in legalization. After, sports betting will go on the November ballot for a vote. If the majority is in favor of sports betting, then South Dakota lawmakers would create a bill on how the state will handle legislation.
South Dakota is handling sports betting differently. Usually, state legislators are proposing sports betting bills and trying to pass them before going to the public. In South Dakota, the state is letting the people vote before lawmakers hash out the details.
Allowing citizens to vote first could be a more efficient way to handle sports betting bills. States should have the people vote if they want sports betting, or not before the legislature goes through on it. However, people also won’t know if the state will handle sports betting legalization in favor of them.
Regardless, South Dakota sees people heading to Iowa to place bets, which is lost revenue for the state. If they want to capitalize on sports betting, then they will need to move quickly to launch by July 1, 2021.
Potential Sportsbooks
If everything goes well for South Dakotans, then they should be able to bet on games by next summer. Some of the sportsbooks could be ready to go by July 1, 2021, if the state is ready. A few sportsbooks that might want to enter early would be FanDuel Sportsbook and DraftKings sportsbook.
Both sportsbooks are in multiple states across the U.S. DraftKings has set up shop in seven states, and FanDuel is operating in six. Entering South Dakota would only expand operations of the two largest U.S. sportsbooks.
However, they will have to wait and see what goes on in South Dakota this November. The sportsbooks could even help their cause by lobbying to legalize sports betting in the state. For now, both U.S. retailers will have to sit on the sidelines until they get the call.
