PIERRE, S.D. (AP) – A South Dakota oversight commission will hear public testimony Wednesday in Pierre on 12 proposed gambling rule changes including ones related to two new games and a new state law that makes it a misdemeanor to enter a casino while banned and on an exclusion list.
Commission Executive Secretary Larry Eliason said rules are revised throughout the year based on requests from state legislators, casino owners and others. The process for changing rules generally takes three to four months.
“It’s a process that’s always evolving,” he said.
Two proposed rules relate to a new law effective July 1 that makes entering a casino while banned and on an exclusion list a misdemeanor. The new penalty will be equivalent to what’s imposed for underage gambling.
“Until the legislation was passed there was no penalty,” Eliason said, referring to the exclusion list.
The commission supported the law as it was considered by legislators this past session. The rules related to the law would set up procedures to put someone on the exclusion list and govern distribution of the list.
The list includes people deemed a threat to “the interest of” South Dakota or to gambling in the state. They are banned from licensed gambling establishments and can be ejected from them.
Two additional rule proposals would authorize new games, including one that combines war and blackjack. Tony Sieber, general manager for Four Aces Casino in Deadwood, requested the rule change for War Blackjack.
“It’s a nice little twist to Deadwood casino war,” Sieber said, adding that it has been popular in California and Nevada. “A simple game, not too much thinking goes on.”
He said players would essentially play two games at once with two separate bets. A representative from War Blackjack distributor Aces Up Gaming will present the game to commissioners. Sieber doesn’t anticipate pushback against the proposal.
The other proposed new game, Dead Man’s Hand, was requested by Silverado/Franklin Gaming controller Tim Burke.
Another new rule would keep people from communicating by cellphone mid-game – a move that Eliason said was drafted after commission staff met with a security consultant on protecting table games.
Additional proposed rules govern slot tournaments.
Rules allowing new games would apply to the Deadwood and tribal casinos. Eliason said the tribes have their own commissions to govern exclusion lists and local tournaments.
He said only a handful of comments on the proposed changes have been submitted in writing. The public hearing starts at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Pierre.
Any approved rules would go to the Legislature’s Rules Review committee, then be filed with the Secretary of State’s office as early as July.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press.
