Yes.

South Dakota has the highest number of gaming machines per capita, tied with Nevada, Oklahoma and Montana, according to a 2025 analysis by WalletHub.

Video lottery provides the most accessible machine gaming in South Dakota, with nearly 1,400 establishments offering 11,000 machines statewide as of December.  

South Dakota is the second-most gambling-addicted state in the WalletHub analysis, behind Nevada, according to 20 metrics, from gambling addiction counselors per capita to commercial casino revenue per capita.

The WalletHub analysis provides a full methodology, including data sources, which include the U.S. Census Bureau and American Gaming Association (AGA).

Revenue from commercial casinos in Deadwood was a record $147.6 million in 2023, up 3.3% from 2022.

According to the AGA, the lobbying arm of the industry, commercial and tribal casinos in South Dakota supported nearly 5,000 jobs and $623 million in annual economic impact, excluding video lottery. 

This fact brief responds to conversations such as this one.

Sources

WalletHub, Most gambling-addicted states 

South Dakota Searchlight, Video lottery operators plan to ask lawmakers for higher limits

American Gaming Commission, South Dakota overview

American Gaming Commission, Gaming by the numbers: South Dakota


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