In November of 1986, 60% of South Dakota voters approved a constitutional amendment allowing for a state-operated lottery. In 1987, legislators authorized the creation of the South Dakota Lottery, its commission, and the sale of instant scratch tickets. On September 30, 1987, six months after the legislation was signed into law, the first instant ticket was sold. Video lottery was authorized in So
uth Dakota by the state legislature in 1989. On October 16th of that year, South Dakota implemented the first state Video Lottery in the nation. The first Lotto America ticket was sold in South Dakota on November 15, 1990 (the game was replaced by Powerball in 1992). Three years later, South Dakota launched its own cash lotto game called Dakota Cash. Other lotto products were added in 1994, 1996 and 2010. The South Dakota Lottery is a totally self-funded agency. No tax dollars are used for its operation.
