PIERRE, S.D. (KELO.com) — The South Dakota Senate has shipped a measure over to the South Dakota House that would let the voters of South Dakota decide if betting on sporting events should be permitted at Deadwood casinos.
The bill’s prime sponsor, Senator Bob Ewing of Spearfish says Senate Joint Resolution 501 does only one thing–it puts sports betting on the ballot.
Money made on by betting on sporting events, like other legal gambling in South Dakota would go to the Deadwood Historic Preservation fund for use across South Dakota on historic preservation projects. The bill would require voters to change the South Dakota Constitution, which Senator Jim Bolin says needs to be done carefully.
Senator Jeff Partridge says the state voters have already said yes to gambling before this.
Senator Lee Schoenbeck of Watertown is ready to put sports wagering to work.
SJR 501 passed the Senate on a 24 to 10 vote with one excused. The measure now heads to the South Dakota House for consideration.
(Zach Nelson, KCCR, contributed this report.)
