Can I play slots online in South Dakota?
No, you cannot. As in many states, South Dakota’s gambling laws prohibiting nonapproved forms of gambling also make online gambling illegal.
Interestingly, the section of South Dakota law that specifically addresses “internet gambling” — Chapter 22-25A — states “no person engaged in a gambling business may use the internet or an interactive computer to bet or wager.” The law defines doing so as a felony offense.
Some have wanted to interpret this as indirectly suggesting those who are not “engaged in a gambling business” can gamble online, although such an interpretation has not been tested in the courts.
When it comes to online slots, sweepstakes sites that use virtual currencies like Chumba Casino do welcome players from South Dakota. However there are no legal real money options for online slots in the state.
What are the chances that we get full-fledged South Dakota online casinos?
Quite slim, at least in the near term. Neither the operators of retail casinos in Deadwood nor the Native American tribes that operate casinos in the state have shown much interest in introducing online casinos in the state.
If sports betting legislation does come to South Dakota, that might perhaps introduce the topic of online sportsbooks and then perhaps online casinos. Much would have to occur first, however, to get to that point.
I heard that New Jersey has legal online casinos. Can I play at those from South Dakota?
No. The legal and regulated online casinos in New Jersey are only for those physically located in the state.
In fact, you cannot even log in and play the games from outside NJ, since the sites use geolocation technology to ensure no one from outside the state can play.
I see casinos accepting South Dakota players when I Google the topic. Should I trust them?
No, you probably should not. The online casinos you are finding are located off-shore (that is, outside the US) and thus do not adhere to laws and regulations of the US or South Dakota.
That means that beside potentially violating the state’s law against online gambling, you are also taking a risk in that you have to trust the security of the sites and integrity of the games.
If you have any issues when playing on these sites, you are at the mercy of the sites to help you, as they are not necessarily obligated to do so.
South Dakota holds a special place in the history of gambling and particularly poker.
