South Dakota Casinos Preparing For Higher Betting Limits

Casinos around the US have had the luxury in recent years of raising the stakes for gamblers. Lawmakers in dozens of states have either expanded gambling, or raised gambling limits in the aftermath of the economic recession. South Dakota lawmakers passed a bill allowing higher limits in February, and now casinos are preparing for the gaming increase.

"I can't wait," said Grant Kelsky, a long time South Dakota resident. "I've spent the past six years traveling to Las Vegas to gamble, even though we have casinos right here. The limits just were too low, and I couldn't find any good action. Now it will be different, and I'm looking forward to the higher limits."

Not all casinos in South Dakota will immediately move to the new limits of $1,000 when the law goes into effect on July 1st. The smaller casinos are planning on riding out the lower limits until they gauge whether the higher limits will be beneficial to business.

It is higher limits that have propelled New Jersey, Nevada, and now Pennsylvania to become gambling havens. Other states such as Florida, Maryland, Michigan, and West Virginia have also moved to expand their gaming options in the face of a gambling revolution that is taking place across the country.

"We needed these higher limits," said Max Clete. "The South Dakota casinos could not have survived if the limits remained the same. Now, people can bet whatever they want, and they don't have to travel to do so. I'm excited, and many of my friends are as well."

The casinos that will change to the new limits are expected to follow some new guidelines from the South Dakota Commission on Gaming. The Commission is working up new regulations that include security cameras pointed directly at blackjack and poker tables. The videos will have to be clear, as the Commission wants to protect against cheating schemes.

Smaller casinos believe the finances necessary to implement new betting limits will be too much for the reward of offering the higher limits.

"Some of the smaller casinos, definitely myself, we're still a mom-and-pop place," said Louie Lalonde, owner of Saloon No. 10. "We're definitely not going to be able to bankroll that money in our cage. It's just something we're not able to do, as well as afford the security updates."

April 29, 2012
Posted By April Gardner
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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