A proposed voter referendum coule expand sports betting beyond Deadwood in South Dakota.
State Sen. Steve Kolbeck put forth Senate Joint Resolution 507, which would put a measure to state residents on the next ballot to allow for statewide online betting, so long as the sportsbook offering wagers has a partnership with a licensed casino in the state and the servers are located in Deadwood.
Bipartisan bill would put online betting on 2026 election ballot
If passed, it would be put to voters during the 2026 general election.
Retail sports betting in South Dakota launched exclusively in Deadwood in 2021 after 58% of voters approved a measure to do so during the 2020 election. Since then, efforts to expand online have not gained steam. In 2023, the House voted down a similar measure for the 2024 election.
The bill has four sponsors in total, including Kolbeck, with two representatives from each chamber. Three are Republicans while one, Rep. Eric Emery, is a Democrat.
There may be bipartisan support, but if the last round of debate on the issue is any indicator, concerns around problem gambling continue to be an issue for the legislature.
North Dakota already shot down sports betting ballot question
Last month, an effort in neighboring North Dakota to pass a ballot referendum potentially legalizing sports betting was quickly quashed after a host of witnesses testified regarding societal concerns, including both faculty and students from the state university system.
Iowa, Nebraska, Montana and Wyoming are neighboring states of South Dakota that currently offers online sports betting. Minnesota is once again considering the issue, while North Dakota’s efforts as mentioned are over for the year.
The bill has been sent to the Senate Commerce and Energy Committee. It would take a simple majority in both chambers for approval.
The newly inaugurated Gov. Larry Rhoden served as Lt. Governor and oversaw the Senate when the intial ballot referendum on retail sports betting passed.
