There is good news coming out of the US state of South Dakota, with the Associated Press reporting that the state’s Senate have passed a measure for voters in the city of Deadwood to decide as to whether to legalize and regulate sports betting.
The approval by the Senate, which was passed by 24 votes to 10 under Joint Resolution 501, means that the next step is for the measure to proceed to the House. If approval is also given by the House, it is likely voters will be able to ultimately decide in a ballot held in November. If then subsequently approved, sports betting could be a go as soon as the summer of 2021.
Speaking about this news, the Executive Director of the Deadwood Gaming Association, Mike Rodman, said: “We certainly think it is important to have sports wagering as another tool in our toolbox here in Deadwood, across the county sports wagering is kind of the rage, and we want to have that here to keep Deadwood a competitive destination with other gaming destinations.”
The measure was introduced by Sen. Bob Ewing, a Spearfish Republican, who argued that already many people bet on sports and that it makes perfect sense to legalize the activity and receive tax revenue from it.