Best sweepstakes & social casinos in South Dakota for 2024

The legal status of sweepstakes casinos in South Dakota

By following the sweepstakes model, sweepstakes casinos provide a casino-like experience. Because of this, they do not require a gaming license or any of the other gambling-related permits that are in place in South Dakota.

These sweepstakes casinos typically offer two virtual currencies that allow players to play blackjack, slots and table games. In the following sections, we’re going to explain the legality of sweepstakes casinos in South Dakota.

Illegalities in SD’s sweeps gambling

Sweepstakes casinos are legal in the US, except in a few states like Washington, Idaho, and Nevada.

Online casinos are illegal in South Dakota, and it is likely that they will continue to be illegal. Therefore, in order to avoid being classified as an illegal online casino in SD, sweepstakes casinos must be distinguished from regular gambling.

If a casino randomly selects winners by chance and offers a prize, then it is classified as a sweepstakes. If there is a mandatory payment for participation in any games, it is gambling and it is illegal in SD. In other words, sweepstakes casinos must be free to play.

However, most sweepstakes casinos offer the option to buy their virtual currency for real money, a legal loophole in states like South Dakota.

However, some sweepstakes casinos are still illegal in South Dakota, such as Games.Skillz.

Sweepstakes legalities in SD and other states

Even though sweepstakes casinos are almost identical to online casinos down to the last detail, they are legal in South Dakota due to a number of factors.

First and foremost, there is no real money involved in the gambling process, which is why sweepstakes casinos are legal in SD. Instead, sweepstakes casinos use two virtual currencies to allow users to play their games. One of these currencies can usually be redeemed for cash prizes.

In addition, the Supreme Court of South Dakota has defined sweepstakes casino games as a “contest in which the element of chance predominates over the element of skill. This means that sweepstakes casinos are required by law to select the winners at random.

In addition to the state specific laws of South Dakota, sweepstakes casinos are subject to regulation nationwide. Therefore, they must follow the rules of the following agencies, regardless of the state:

• Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
• Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
• United States Postal Service (USPS)
• United States Department of Justice (DOJ)

South Dakota believes that sweepstakes casinos are legal, and its neighboring states have a similar view of the legality of sweepstakes casinos. North Dakota and Montana have a higher acceptance rate than South Dakota.

On the other hand, Wyoming has banned several sweepstakes casinos, including Vegas Gems, Funrize, NoLimitCoins, TaoFortune, etc. Nebraska, Minnesota, and Iowa banned b spot with more than half the other states.

Overall, South Dakota mostly shares the stance of sweepstakes casinos being legal with its neighboring states.

South Dakota’s governing laws of sweeps gambling

Even though sweepstakes are mostly regulated on a national level, it is important to have an understanding of the laws that govern sweepstakes in South Dakota. Before you invest your time and try your luck at a particular sweepstakes casino site, it is important to check the legality of the site.

If the sweepstakes casino of your choice does not follow the governing laws of South Dakota and is breaking the rules and regulations of the SD government, then you need to steer clear of them. Try your luck at legitimate sweepstakes casinos.

All laws governing the sweepstakes model and prizes are provided by the South Dakota Legislature (Chapters 37-32). This law states that paying to win cannot be required. Violation of the applicable sweepstakes laws in South Dakota is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

There are no additional state-specific legal requirements because these applicable laws are consistent with general promotional law.

Types of games at South Dakota’s sweepstakes casinos 🎲

The variety of casino-like games is one of the main features of sweepstakes casinos that attracts players. Sweepstakes casinos offer multiple game options to appeal to many players. In addition, more players will choose them as their favorite sweepstakes casino site the more popular titles they add to their game categories.

South Dakota sweepstakes casinos need to step up their game and keep up with the competition because there are many popular and growing sweepstakes casinos in South Dakota. That’s why many SD Sweepstakes Casinos offer incredible game collections. In addition, when their websites have well-organized game categories, they make it easy for players to find the games they want quickly and become regulars.

The casino games available at South Dakota’s sweepstakes casinos include slots, blackjack, roulette, table games, live casino games, jackpots, fish games, etc.

Slot games

Slot games resemble slot machines, which are casino games that allow players to earn prizes. They win them by chance, meaning no skill is necessary to play sweepstakes slots. While slot machines in land-based casinos require a coin or a chip to run, you can play sweepstakes slot games using the virtual currencies of a specific sweepstakes casino.

Slot machines are some of the most popular games played at sweepstakes casinos in South Dakota. As a result, sweepstakes casinos often have many popular slot titles. The slot games vary in terms of style and unique features, but the game play remains the same. So there are classic slots, video slots, autoplay slots, 3D slots, penny slots, etc.

All of these slot machine games can be either progressive or non-progressive. Progressive slots games are worth playing because the players can win some incredible prizes. On the other hand, non-progressive slot machines offer smaller but more frequent prizes. So, depending on your objective, both types are worth exploring.

Some of the most popular slot game titles in South Dakota include The Dark Knight, Mega Moolah, Megabucks, King Cashalot, and Gonzo’s Quest. Players from South Dakota can find these and many other slot titles at Funzpoints, SweepSlots, LuckyBird, and other casinos.

Table games

Sweepstakes Table Games resemble traditional table games, where players typically sit around a table and play to win. Players bet on certain outcomes and win prizes according to the odds. This means that the chance of winning is greater than the chance of losing, since you can only bet on one outcome.

Table games are mostly based on percentages. This gives players unequal chances of winning. In spite of all this, table games are very popular in the sweepstakes casinos of South Dakota.

Some of the most famous table games in South Dakota include blackjack online, roulette, baccarat, poker online, and craps.

Some of the most popular table game titles in South Dakota include American Roulette, Gridiron Roulette, Las Vegas Craps, Pai Gow Poker, etc. You can find these immersive table games at South Dakota sweepstakes casino, such as the, Global Poker.

Fish games

At sweepstakes casinos, fish games often fall into a specialty category. They combine the casino-like experience of winning prizes with some video game elements. Many players often overlook them, but those in South Dakota immensely enjoy them and often opt for them over other game types.

The gameplay involves the selection of a weapon and the shooting of different fish in order to earn prizes. The higher the prize, the harder it is to hit the fish. In this way, players shoot at the fish until their health bar is gone. Fish games often have impressive layouts and special effects that make them stand out.

Sweepstakes rooms in SD offer many popular fishing games such as 4 Dragon Kings, Fishing War, Golden Dragon and Alter World. Some top-rated South Dakota sweepstakes casinos offering fishing games are NoLimitCoins, TaoFortune and Funrize.

Find the best legal sweepstakes casinos in SD

It’s important to choose your sweepstakes casino carefully. While South Dakota has legalized sweepstakes casinos, players should be aware of several factors in their choice of platform. The most important are legality and regulation.

Therefore, we suggest that players check to see if they’re licensed and regulated. A sweepstakes casino is safe for players if it is regulated by a reputable authority.

Other factors to take into consideration when choosing a sweepstakes casino are

• Security measures – Check the desired sweepstakes casino’s security measures before playing. It’s vital to remain safe while using online platforms and avoid sharing private information.
• Game variety – Opt for a sweepstakes casino with many game options for the best casino-like experience. If a sweepstakes casino offers only one or two game types, it might bore you quickly.
• User experience – Even though sweepstakes casinos advertise themselves in the best light, checking their user reviews is critical. If other users had a negative experience with a particular sweepstakes casino, avoid it at all costs.
• Customer support – Customer support is essential for the best user experience. If your chosen sweepstakes casino doesn’t offer any customer support, you’ll be on your own, dealing with potential problems without professional assistance.

Sources

• Chapter 37-32 Sweepstake Prizes. South Dakota Legislature.
• Gambling In South Dakota: Where and How to Play. South Dakota Gambling.
• Miller, S. (2022, Apr 8). What Are Sweepstakes Casinos? A Beginner’s Guide. The GWW.