South Dakota legislators say no to sports betting

A legislative committee of South Dakota has stuck down a proposal to conduct a referendum on legalisation of sports betting in the state.

The South Dakota House State Affairs Committee has rejected the proposal by a vote of 7.3. Had it been cleared, it would have asked voters if sports betting should be legalised in historic Deadwood. Mike Rodman, the executive director of Deadwood Gaming Association is hopeful of a public ballot next year. He said: “One of the reasons (to reject legalisation) is, it’s an expansion of gambling in South Dakota. Governor Noem has made it clear that she does not wish to have gambling expanded in South Dakota. And frankly the gaming market is probably saturated in our state,” David Wiest, deputy secretary for the state Department of Revenue said.