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History
In November 1986, 60 percent of the electorate in a statewide
referendum voted to amend the state constitution to allow for a
state-operated Lottery.
In 1987, legislators authorized the creation of the South Dakota
Lottery, its commission and the sale of instant tickets. On Sept. 30,
1987, six months after the legislation was signed into law, the Lottery
sold its first instant ticket. The Lottery repaid its $1.5 million
start-up loan plus interest to the state in three months.
For the next two years, Video Lottery was studied intensely by
legislative and private groups. In 1988, legislation was introduced to
authorize Video Lottery, but the bill fell one vote short of the required
two-thirds majority in the state Senate. In 1989, similar Video Lottery
legislation was introduced on behalf of the Lottery Commission and this
time passed. On Oct. 16, 1989, South Dakota pioneered the first state
Video Lottery in the nation. In 1992, Video Lottery appeared on the
general election ballot as an initiated measure for repeal. South
Dakotans voted by a 63 percent to 37 percent margin to keep Video
Lottery. Shortly after the election, a lawsuit was filed questioning the
constitutionality of Video Lottery. The lawsuit eventually made its way
to the state Supreme Court, where on June 22, 1994, justices declared
Video Lottery unconstitutional. In a special legislative session in July
1994, lawmakers passed a resolution to place a constitutional amendment
on the general election ballot to reauthorize Video Lottery. A court
order to shut down Video Lottery was handed down on Aug. 12, 1994. South
Dakotans voted by a 53 percent to 47 percent margin to reauthorize Video
Lottery. On Nov. 22, 1994, Video Lottery was restarted. On Nov. 7, 2000,
voters defeated a measure to outlaw video lottery by a 54 to 46 margin. Voters
rejected the repeal of Video Lottery a fourth time in Nov. of 2006 by
defeating an initiated measure by a 67 to 33 percent margin.
The South Dakota Lottery's third product line -- lotto -- was
authorized by legislators in 1990. Soon afterward, the South Dakota
Lottery joined the Multi-State Lottery Association to offer
Lotto*America. In November 1990, the first Lotto*America ticket was sold.
The multi-million dollar game was replaced by Powerball in April 1992. In
April 1993, Dakota Cash became South Dakota's very own cash lotto game.
The South Dakota Lottery joined with Montana and Idaho in February 1994
to offer Tri-West Lotto. Tri-West was changed to Wild Card in February
1998 and revised as Wild Card 2 in May 1999. Daily Millions was added to
the lotto line-up in September 1996. It was replaced with Cash 4 Life in
March 1998, Rolldown in September 2000
and Hot Lotto in April 2002.
The Lottery is a totally self-funded agency. No tax dollars are used
for its operation.
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