Deadwood officials leading effort to legalize sports betting in South Dakota

Next month, South Dakota lawmakers will be asked to pave the way for legalizing sports betting in the state.

Proponents of a constitutional amendment that would allow gambling at Deadwood's casinos want lawmakers to put the issue on the 2020 ballot.

Currently, sports betting is available in several states, and others are considering it following a U. S. Supreme Court ruling in May that struck down a federal law that banned sports betting outside of Nevada. The ruling allowed individual states to decide whether to allow sports betting.

Betting industry experts, sports bar owners and even the people tasked with overseeing South Dakota's now-legal gambling acknowledge that illegal sports betting already takes place in the state. Sports betting advocates argue South Dakota is missing out on potential revenue in the process.

"I was sitting at the bar at the Ramkota in Pierre, and the guy next to me picked up his cell phone and started betting on a football game," said Larry Eliason, executive director of the Gaming Commission, the state agency that oversees legal gambling activity in South Dakota. "Of course, he didn't know who I was."

"Right now, South Dakotans bet on sports through bookies. We don't know how much they're betting, we don't know how many bookies there are. It's hard to gauge the extent to which illegal activity is occurring."

Gaming has been legal in South Dakota since 1989, and 22 casinos operate in Deadwood. Gaming is legal only in Deadwood and the tribal casinos, but video lotteries are legal throughout the state.

The proposed amendment would expand the definition of gaming allowed in Deadwood casinos. If the proposed amendment is approved, it would also allow sports betting at tribal casinos.

As proposed, the measure would also increase the share of gambling tax revenues to the city of Deadwood. Since gambling was legalized in 1989, the city of Deadwood has earned $6. 8 million in revenue each year. The proposed amendment would increase Deadwood's allocation by inflation. If approved, the amendment would allow sports betting at Deadwood's 22 casinos. The city of Deadwood could earn up to $6. 8 million in revenue each year from gaming operations. Photo by Tom Griffith

The US Gaming Association (AGA), which represents the $ 261 billion in the United States, is the U. S. Hometown in September, and the larg e-scale illegal sports gambling market is currently over $ 150 billion every year. He said.

"AGA Sara Slain Senior Vice Chairman said," This huge illegal market spurs criminal acts, and American consumers other than Nevada have no choice but to bet. Nearly 60 % agree to eliminate the ban on failed federal governments, and nearly tw o-thirds of Americans believe that legal and regulated sports betting will benefit their communities. I am.

Sports betting is big business in US

Since the Supreme Court ruling in May, 18 states have considered a bill of sports betting legalization, and Delaware, New Jersey, Mississippi, and West Virginia have permitted sports betting in one game along with Nevada. Slain, on the other hand, is currently being dispute in Pennsylvania, Lord Island, and New York.

According to recent reports, some other states, such as Iowa, Nebraska, and New Mexico, are currently considering bills that allow sports betting.

In the summer of 2015, it was the same debate as Claps, Roulette and Keno were added to the state game.

Deadwood gaming associations have increased the number of bet limits and led the past initiatives to add roulett, craps and keno to existing slates of poker, blackjack, and slot machines.

"For deadwood, legal sports betting creates further opportunities in relation to highly wel l-known contests such as Super Bowls, Sweet 16, major league baseball World Series, and College Football playoffs." Mike Rodman says. "All of these will create excitement and further marketing opportunities, and will attract people into the town. We want to do sports betting in legal, safe and regulated methods for South Dakota people like sportsbating. I know I think.

Rodman not only gives new reasons to tourists who want to come to Deadwood, but also leads to further tax revenues for the state that the introduction of legal sports gambling to deadwood and tribal casinos in the state. I pointed out.

"Deadwood, a $ 100 million gaming market per year, can achieve $ 1 million to $ 2 million sports betting annually," he says.

At least one of the tribes of the South Dakota currently running a casino supports the DGA plan.

"Sports betting is a billion dollar industry, and it was illegal in most of the United States in the United States until recently. I have done it.

According to Piaman, the tribes are discussing the possibility of legalization in South Dakota with deadwood gaming associations and industry experts, and will cooperate with these partners to promote legal efforts. Say.

"Sports gambling at Royal River Casino will diversify the gaming opportunities of users, have a positive effect on the overall experience, and prevent them from leaving the area to legally bet." Piaman said.

"South Dakota people can now gamble sports on computers and bet on baseball and football every week at local flea shops. State is hungry for income. If the state wants to accept it, Do it to earn a few dollars and earn money for education and counties. " -Tim Laons Congress

The state imposes 9 % tax on deadwood gaming income. In addition, the casino pays $ 2, 000 per unit. From these income, one percent is directly paid to the general funds of the state, 40 % will be paid to the South Dakota Tourism Bureau, 10 % in Lawrence County, and the rest of the South Dakota Gaming Association until the expense is satisfied.

In the state law, the maximum "share" of Deadwood City by legalized gambling is $ 6. 8 million per year. After this upper limit, the surplus funds are distributed to the city and school districts of Lawrence County.

Deadwood gaming today

Deadwood has used the funds for city projects, historical preservation activities, buildings repair and maintenance, marketing, and bond payments for various other projects.

According to a gaming commission report, last year, after fulfilling all the financial obligations based on this law, a total of nearly $ 2 million was deposited on general funds, and 279, 000 dollars were 27, 000 to other municipalities. $ 19, 000 was distributed to the school district.

According to Rodman, the goal is to make a fee of $ 2, 000 per unit, not for each window, but for each sports betting place.

Deadwood gambling stakeholders have estimated that if sports betting is legalized in South Dakota, casinos in the city can make a profit of $ 1 million to $ 2 million.

The process of revising the state constitution to recognize sports betting can take nearly three years.

The wording proposal to revise the state constitution was examined by the State Congress Investigation Committee and the State Corporation Office. The state parliament will be submitted to the state assembly in January, hoping that the state parliament will approve the constitutional amendment to voting in the fall of 2020.

Changing the Constitution

If the legislative government has rejected the constitutional amendment on the ballot, the support must collect 35, 000 signatures from registered voters in South Dakota to submit this bill to voters in November 2020. be.

"This is a long process," Rodman says. "If all the hurdles are cleared, South Dakota people will be able to legally play sports gambling on July 1, 2021.

Tim Laons, a Republican parliamentary member of Hughes County, Hyde County, Stanley County, and Sally County Council, is likely to agree in the next parliament to ask voters on this issue. Was stated.

"South Dakota people now can play sports gambling on computers and bet on baseball and football every week at local flea shops." State is hungry for income. States are hungry for income. If you want to accept it, I want to make a few dollars and make this problem for education and county.

Representative Tim Johns was selected as a statist member of the State as a representative of the northern residents of the northern Black Hills after working as a judge and a judge for 30 years. Johns did not change his attitude in response to the question of whether to submit a bill related to Sportsbetting legalization in the next legislative council. According to Rodman, the goal is to make a fee of $ 2, 000 per unit for each sports betting place, not for each window.

Deadwood gambling stakeholders have estimated that if sports betting is legalized in South Dakota, casinos in the city can make a profit of $ 1 million to $ 2 million.

The process of revising the state constitution to recognize sports betting can take nearly three years.

The wording proposal to revise the state constitution was examined by the State Congress Investigation Committee and the State Corporation Office. The state parliament will be submitted to the state assembly in January, hoping that the state parliament will approve the constitutional amendment to voting in the fall of 2020.

If the legislative government has rejected the constitutional amendment on the ballot, the support must collect 35, 000 signatures from registered voters in South Dakota to submit this bill to voters in November 2020. be.

"This is a long process," Rodman says. "If all the hurdles are cleared, South Dakota people will be able to legally play sports gambling on July 1, 2021.

Tim Laons, a Republican parliamentary member of Hughes County, Hyde County, Stanley County, and Sally County Council, is likely to agree in the next parliament to ask voters on this issue. Was stated.

"South Dakota people now can play sports gambling on computers and bet on baseball and football every week at local flea shops." State is hungry for income. States are hungry for income. If you want to accept it, I want to make a few dollars and make this problem for education and county.

Representative Tim Johns was selected as a statist member of the State as a representative of the northern residents of the northern Black Hills after working as a judge and a judge for 30 years. Johns did not change his attitude in response to the question of whether to submit a bill related to Sportsbetting legalization in the next legislative council. According to Rodman, the goal is to make a fee of $ 2, 000 per unit, not for each window, but for each sports betting place.

Deadwood gambling stakeholders have estimated that if sports betting is legalized in South Dakota, casinos in the city can make a profit of $ 1 million to $ 2 million.

The process of revising the state constitution to recognize sports betting can take nearly three years.

The wording proposal to revise the state constitution was examined by the State Congress Investigation Committee and the State Corporation Office. The state parliament will be submitted to the state assembly in January, hoping that the state parliament will approve the constitutional amendment to voting in the fall of 2020.

If the legislative government has rejected the constitutional amendment on the ballot, the support must collect 35, 000 signatures from registered voters in South Dakota to submit this bill to voters in November 2020. be.

"This is a long process," Rodman says. "If all the hurdles are cleared, South Dakota people will be able to legally play sports gambling on July 1, 2021.

Bar owners anticipate increased activity

Tim Laons, a Republican parliamentary member of Hughes County, Hyde County, Stanley County, and Sally County Council, is likely to agree in the next parliament to ask voters on this issue. Was stated.

"South Dakota people now can play sports gambling on computers and bet on baseball and football every week at local flea shops." State is hungry for income. States are hungry for income. If you want to accept it, I want to make a few dollars and make this problem for education and county.

Representative Tim Johns was selected as a statist member of the State as a representative of the northern residents of the northern Black Hills after working as a judge and a judge for 30 years. Johns did not change his attitude in response to the question of whether to submit a bill related to Sportsbetting legalization in the next legislative council.

"Frankly, sports betting is already here and it's in every bar in any small town in South Dakota. There's something to be said for legalizing and taxing sports betting. We're always looking for additional revenue, and if it does come along, it needs to be regulated."

But Johns also said he's still studying the issue.

"I haven't made up my mind or taken a position yet," he said. "I know there's going to be a fair bit of pushback from people who are against gambling, but I'm willing to consider it."

The Rapid City-based Family Heritage Alliance hasn't taken a formal position on legalizing sports betting, but executive director Norman Woods said he would oppose any effort to expand gambling opportunities.

"In general, we've traditionally been against the expansion of gambling in the state," he said. "With sports betting specifically, we haven't made up our mind yet. We usually wait until the actual bill is before the Legislature."

In the past, Woods noted, the Family Heritage Alliance has opposed increasing betting limits and adding craps, roulette and keno because of "second-order negative effects of gambling," including addiction, stress on families, embezzlement, crime and increased suicides.

Read next

Vote South Dakota forum aims to shed light on 'complicated' election

If sports betting advocates are successful and South Dakota voters bet on this latest addition, the Legislature and the South Dakota Gaming Commission "will have to write new rules and regulations and address all the details and nuances," said Eliason of the Gaming Commission.

"They'll also have to decide what the tax rates are, whether you can bet on intercollegiate games, whether you can bet on South Dakota teams," Eliason said. For example, in New Jersey, gamblers can bet on college games but not on New Jersey schools.

Watertown taps resident input to solve problems

Eliason plans to retire in early 2019, but said he will study what rules other states have adopted to determine what's right for South Dakota.

"Obviously, we're looking at Nevada, which has a lot of experience in this area. The Legislature is responsible for deciding where the revenue from sports betting goes, he said.

South Dakota's top 5 campaign war chests

Toby Keene, owner of Mustang Sally's, a sports bar on Deadwood's Main Street, says legal sports betting will give customers another reason to visit his establishment. Photo by Tom Griffith

Ohio's fight over State Issue 1 just one part of a larger national battle over ballot issues

When you enter Mustang Sally's, a sports bar on Deadwood's Main Street, on any given evening or weekend, 25 flat-screen TVs are broadcasting every sporting event from around the world, from European soccer to the NFL and MLB.

Owner Toby Keene says it's relatively easy for anyone interested in illegal sports betting to do so. Keene knows of a few bookies operating mostly along the East River, but he says the South Dakota Gaming Commission acts as a deterrent to such activity in western South Dakota.

"Anyone who wants to bet on a game can probably tell you that," he said. "You get a better payback when you bet on your phone than you do in Las Vegas.

Depending on the level of taxes the state imposes on legal sports betting, Keene believes offering a new entertainment option for visitors to Deadwood could attract more customers.

"It really is entertainment. "Once legalized, consumers suddenly have protection and oversight. It could be a kiosk, or it could be an established sportsbook. With the technology now, I wouldn't be surprised if someone could go up to a video lottery machine and place a bet."

Deadwood Mayor Dave Roos agreed with Keene's assessment, emphasizing that his Northern Hills tourist city needs to compete on an equal footing with its competitors across the country.

"A recent report on Deadwood's handle shows the stabilization of the gaming industry. "If we don't offer the same betting opportunities as other gambling houses, we're going to fall behind our competitors again. It's important that we lead the industry, as we're a developing country." Ruth said he looks forward to working with the Deadwood Gaming Association and its stakeholders to get sports betting approved statewide.

"Gaming is an important part of our local economy, and anything we can do to promote and grow our industry, we have a responsibility to pursue," the mayor said.

The forum features representatives from both the PUC candidates and the ballot measures that will be decided in November, and students team up with journalists to ask questions.

Stu Whitney September 15, 2024

A city of 23, 000 in South Dakota is crowdsourcing solutions to community challenges like housing, child care and labor.

Bart Fancchi September 9, 2024

Looking ahead to 2026: A spotlight on fundraising in what could be one of Ohio's most contested and crucial election cycles.

Ohio Republican lawmakers decided last month to hold an election on August 8 to make it harder to amend the state constitution.

But Ohio is only part of a national battle over ballot issues that is generally being waged between Republican state lawmakers and left-leaning policy advocates.

Ohio will be the third state in the past two years to vote to raise the approval threshold for state constitutional amendments from 50% to 60%. Last year, Republican state legislatures in Arkansas and South Dakota put similar bills on the ballot. This year, Missouri came close to becoming the fourth state, along with Ohio, to act on a looming abortion rights bill, but it unexpectedly fell through before the end of the legislative session.

The fight over the ballot issue began to heat up about a decade ago, when there was a coordinated effort across the country to use the process to expand Medicaid, the government-funded health care program for the poor and disabled.

The movement has become more heated in response to progressive criminal sentencing reform ballot measures, such as Florida's 2018 ballot measure that restored voting rights to people convicted of certain felonies.

Then last year, the Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe v. Wade led to a flurry of abortion-rights ballot measures in states across the country.

"This process started before Roe v. Wade," says Sarah Walker, director of policy and legal advocacy at the progressive Center for Ballot Initiative Strategies. "But after the reproductive victories happened across the country, especially in red and blue states, this issue absolutely accelerated and expanded. I think these attacks on democracy are going to continue."

The trend has prompted progressive ballot issue groups, which have seen success across the country on direct ballot measures to expand Medicaid eligibility and raise the minimum wage, to pivot to so-called "defense of direct democracy," helping to defeat bills like those in Ohio, Arkansas and South Dakota.

"I think the outcome in Ohio sends a strong message to one side or the other," said Lee, 24, "and I hope that it's not in the interest of those in power to try to undermine the will of the people by undermining citizen initiatives.

If voters approve Proposition 1, it would change the state constitution and future amendments would need 60% support on a statewide ballot to pass.

This is compared to the current 50% simple majority threshold that has been in place for more than a century. It would also make it harder for potential ballot issues to qualify by tightening the signature-gathering requirements for amendment campaigns.

Arkansas’s ongoing fight over ballot issues

A "yes" vote on the issue would approve the change.

State Rep. Brian Stewart, a Pickaway County Republican who helped get state Proposition 1 on the ballot, said the bill is needed to block left-wing policies that don't suit Ohio.

Aside from social issues, he cited possible ballot initiatives that could one day push for an end to qualified immunity, a legal liability protection for police officers; ranked-choice voting, which would dramatically overhaul the state's single-member district system of candidate selection; and a minimum wage increase. All of these have been proposed in Ohio to varying degrees.

"We've definitely seen an increase in ballot proposals over the last 15 years that many Republicans and conservatives would consider far-left," Stewart said. "While some failed to pass, there seems to be a growing trend across the country and among liberals to focus more energy and state resources on trying to pass disruptive policies through ballot initiatives that would never get through state legislatures.

For example, a measure that former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder tried to put on the ballot in 2020 would have changed term limits, allowing lawmakers to serve an additional 10 years. The plan was foiled by the coronavirus pandemic, but details of the plan only emerged after Householder was arrested on federal corruption charges.

"It's disturbing how easy it is to buy a ticket," Stewart said. "Once it's on the ticket, a lot can happen. If the Legislature gets it wrong, we can fix it. Once it's written into the Constitution, it generally stays there."

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Ohio is one of 19 states that allow voters to pass legal changes directly through a constitutional amendment or something called an initiative act. The other states are Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, and South Dakota. Each state has its own rules, including different percentages required for an amendment to be approved.

Interest groups have become increasingly sophisticated and have used the ballot initiative process to advance their causes for decades. Ohio is a prime example: the state voted to establish term limits for state legislators in 1992, voted to ban same-sex marriage in 2004, and voted to legalize casino gambling in 2009.

In recent years, Ohio voters have rejected the citizen-initiated, funded amendment campaigns seen in other states. In 2015, a bill to legalize marijuana was defeated, and in 2018, a bill to ease sentencing for drug-related crimes was defeated. In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic derailed amendments to expand voting rights and raise the minimum wage to $13 an hour. For example, a measure that former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder tried to put on the ballot in 2020 would have changed term limits to allow him to serve an additional 10 years in the House. The plan was foiled by the coronavirus pandemic, but details only emerged after Householder was arrested on federal corruption charges.

"It's disturbing how easy it is to buy a ticket," Stewart said. "Once it's on the ticket, a lot can happen. If the Legislature does something wrong, we can fix it. Once it's written into the Constitution, it generally stays there."

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Ohio is one of 19 states that allow voters to pass legal changes directly through what are called constitutional amendments or initiative acts. The others are Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, and South Dakota. Each state sets its own rules, including different percentages needed for an amendment to be approved.

Interest groups have become increasingly sophisticated and have used the ballot initiative process to advance their causes for decades. Ohio is a prime example; the state voted to establish term limits for state legislators in 1992, voted to ban same-sex marriage in 2004, and voted to legalize casino gambling in 2009.

In recent years, Ohio voters have rejected the citizen-initiated, funded amendment campaigns seen in other states. In 2015, they defeated a bill to legalize marijuana, and in 2018, they defeated a bill to ease sentencing for drug-related crimes. In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic derailed amendments to expand voting rights and raise the minimum wage to $13 an hour. For example, a measure that former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder tried to put on the ballot in 2020 would have changed term limits to allow him to serve an additional 10 years in the House. The plan was foiled by the coronavirus pandemic, but details of the plan only emerged after Householder was arrested on federal corruption charges.

Medicaid expansion prompts 60% vote in South Dakota

"It's disturbing how easy it is to buy a ticket," Stewart said. "Once it's on the ticket, a lot of things can happen. If the Legislature does something wrong, we can fix it. Once it's written into the Constitution, it generally stays there."

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Ohio is one of 19 states that allow voters to pass legal changes directly through what are called constitutional amendments or initiative acts. The others are Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, and South Dakota. Each state sets its own rules, including different percentages needed for an amendment to be approved.

Interest groups have become increasingly sophisticated and have used the ballot initiative process to advance their causes for decades. Ohio is a prime example; the state voted to establish term limits for state legislators in 1992, voted to ban same-sex marriage in 2004, and voted to legalize casino gambling in 2009.

In recent years, Ohio voters have rejected the citizen-initiated, funded amendment campaigns seen in other states. They defeated a marijuana legalization bill in 2015 and a bill to ease sentencing for drug-related crimes in 2018. In 2020, the coronavirus pandemic derailed amendments to expand voting rights and raise the minimum wage to $13 an hour.

One national group working on ballot amendment campaigns is the Fairness Project, a progressive group with ties to organized labor. Since 2016, it has successfully campaigned to raise the state minimum wage in nine states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, and Washington; and seven states: Idaho, Maine, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Idaho, and South Dakota.

But last year, the Fairness Project pivoted to what it calls "ballot measure salvation campaigns." In Arkansas and South Dakota, it won two major test cases to make it harder to amend state constitutions. On its website, the group boasts that it has "won 31 of 33 ballot measures to raise wages, stop predatory payday advance lenders, expand health care access, ensure paid leave, and more that will change the lives of more than 18 million people."

Desiree Timms, president of Innovation Ohio, a liberal think tank in Columbus, said her group is advising the Ohio anti-election campaign.

"They provide examples of states that have worked and states that have not worked and how we can tailor and communicate information to the public," said Timms, who serves on the Fairness Project's advisory board.

In Arkansas, voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure in 2018 that would have raised the state's minimum wage from $8. 50 to $11 an hour. Voters also approved measures that legalized casino gambling and required photo ID to vote.

Missouri vote fizzles

In 2020, a ballot measure that would have set term limits for state lawmakers was approved. Lawmakers also voted on an amendment that would have tightened the rules on the signatures initiative campaigns must collect from voters to get on the ballot. It was defeated.

But that didn't stop lawmakers from putting the amendment on the ballot again in 2022, with more than 60% of the votes.

Republican state Rep. David Ray, who sponsored the bill, said at the time that a higher threshold would "provide a real consensus of the voters" when the state amends its constitution or passes a statute.

"Our state constitution is too easy to amend, and we shouldn't be amending it at our leisure four, five, six times every two years, as we do now," Ray said, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

The bill was failed from only 41 % of the voters in Arkansas. The bill was published on a ballot, along with another marijuana legalization amendment, which collected a lot of funds, but overwhelmingly failed.

According to the Arkansaw Demonstrat Gazette, the 60 % opposition campaign, "Let's Protect the AR Constitution," collected $ 782, 000 by November 2022. The main donors include the Fairness Project and the National Education Association (major faculty members). Ray's opposition campaign, "Protect the AR Constitution," has collected only $ 78, 000.

Bonnie Miller, Chairman of the Arkansaw's Volunteer Women's Federation, has led the opposition campaign for the bill. The organization's advertisement described the proposal as "ending the majority of Arkansaw's majority" and "giving power to lobbyists." This is a 60 % supported advertisement, and it is possible to keep the constitution from a large special profit organization outside the state by making it difficult to change the constitution.

According to Miller, voters started from a place where they didn't know much about the constitutional amendment process, but not so difficult.

"Many people don't think about that, but direct democracy is very important for Arkansas," We are a very historically populist state. People understand political mechanisms. Even if I couldn't, I didn't know the importance of the democracy.