Dakota Sioux Casino to hold grand opening for new sportsbook on April 27

The Dakota Nation Gaming Enterprise (DNGE) -the business arm of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Tribe- has announced the grand opening on April 27 of its sportsbook inside of Dakota Sioux Casino (DSC), located north of Watertown, South Dakota.

The opening ceremony for the new amenity, which is described by the tribe as “a Vegas-style sportsbook,” will commence with a series of speeches at 3 pm, followed by a “Meet and Greet” event at 4:30 pm. All guests and general public are invited to the ceremony, the DNGE says.

The ceremony and Meet and Greet event will feature special participation from former players for the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings. Among them will be Vikings legends John Randle, Daunte Culpepper, Henry Thomas, Chuck Foreman, and Paul Krause, according to a press release.

“Dakota Nation Sports Book invites you to stop in, sit back, and have fun as you place your bets in person at the casino,” a statement reads. “With a floor to ceiling TV wall, you’ll be able to enjoy your favorite sports, whether it be football, basketball, golf, tennis, baseball, or hockey. There has never been a better time to place your bets and make big money!”

Dakota Sioux Casino and Hotel in Watertown, South Dakota, is one of DNGE’s three tribal casinos and one of the largest tribal gambling facilities in the state. The gaming enterprise says the new addition is set to add excitement to the venue by providing the Midwest “with their very own Vegas-style sportsbook.”

Self-service betting kiosks will be available 24-7 for guest convenience at the new amenity. The opening is part of the tribe’s commitment to bring sports betting to all its three casinos, with DSC being the second to debut a Dakota Nation Sports Book lounge, following the Dakota Magic Casino and Hotel in Hankinson, North Dakota.

Dakota Magic Casino

Meanwhile, Dakota Connection Casino out of Sisseton, South Dakota, is set to feature “a smaller version of the Dakota Nation Sports Book lounge” that is planned after the other two casinos open their respective spaces, an October 2021 press release explained.

The South Dakota legislature unanimously approved sports betting regulations last year, with many casinos launching soon after. But sports fans in the state will have to do with retail betting thus far, given the House State Affairs Committee killed the chances of legalizing mobile sports betting in the state in 2022 earlier this year.

State Joint Resolution 502 sought to put a constitutional amendment question on the November ballot, asking voters in the state whether they wanted to expand sports betting to anywhere within the state, to be carried through websites and mobile apps, as long as the products were routed through computer servers in casinos.

Mobile wagers would have been allowed in Deadwood casinos, as well as available for Native American tribes in the state. The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe had voiced its support for the now rejected measure.