SD JR 2 is a joint resolution that passed a 5-4 vote in the Senate State Affairs Committee on Wednesday, and is heading to the full chamber for a vote.
If this resolution passes in the Senate then it will become a referendum vote. That means that residents of South Dakota will be able to vote in 2020 whether or not if they want to allow sports betting in the state.
Sports Betting Good For South Dakota
If the referendum is a success and sports betting in South Dakota becomes legal, sportsbooks will open in Deadwood and tribal casinos. This could potentially increase revenue for the state and boost Deadwood’s funds during low tourist seasons of the year.
“Sports wagering could have an incredible effect on tribal gaming, increasing the economic position of the tribes, reducing illegal bet-making and creating more jobs,” states Lester Thompson, chairman of the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe.
But Revenue Department Deputy Secretary David Wiest disagrees with that statement. He claims that regulating sports gambling would cost South Dakota more money than it would bring in.
Either way, it will be up to the voters to decide what to do if the Senate passes the resolution.