North Dakota Sports Betting

North Dakota Legal Sports Betting Overview

North Dakota Sports Betting Summary

The decision to launch retail sports betting in North Dakota didn’t follow the passing of legislation, but instead became viable when the US Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) in 2018.

This allowed individual states to legalize sports wagering, but sports betting didn’t launch in ND until 2021 when the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Tribe (the Dakota Nation Gaming Enterprise operators) reviewed its gaming compacts with the state and decided it could legally launch a sportsbook. The first of these opened at the Dakota Magic Casino & Hotel in December 2021.

However, online sports betting is still not legal in the state. HB 1254 passed the House in 2019 but failed in the Senate, while HB 1295 did not even make it that far. HB 3032 in 2021 passed the House but failed in the Senate with a vote of 23-24. Considering how close it was, another attempt to legalize sports betting is likely in 2023.

Read our guide to sports betting in North Dakota to find details on legal wagering in the state, the status of online sports betting, and the latest legislation.

North Dakota Online Sportsbook Summary

Online sports betting is illegal in North Dakota, despite previous attempts to add it to the list of legal betting states. The three previous bills that have been proposed – HB 1254, HB 1259, and HB 3032 – intended to launch statewide online sports betting and welcome the most prominent US brands to launch in the state. While none of the bills were ultimately successful, two out of three passed the House, showing there is potential for legalization in the future.

If online sports betting is made legal, DraftKings and FanDuel will undoubtedly be among the favorites to take advantage and launch first in the state. Both sportsbooks already operate Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) games in the state, which would make it easy to deliver online sports betting. Caesars would be another likely betting site to go live, as the sportsbook has a history of partnering with IGT, which currently powers the betting technology infrastructure of the retail sportsbook at 4 Bears Casino.

Currently, you can bet on horse racing online using platforms like TVG and TwinSpires. The North Dakota Racing Commission regulates some of the largest advance deposit wagering sites in the US, including WatchandWager.com and PariBet. DFS games are also available to play with FantasyDraft, Yahoo!, and ESPN Fantasy.

If you want to place sports bets online, you can visit neighboring Montana. You must visit a retail sports betting location, but once you’re there, you can use a betting app powered by the Montana Lottery and Intralot.

How to Place a Bet in North Dakota

You can only place sports bets in North Dakota by visiting one of three tribal casinos. Follow the steps below to place your first legal wager:

1. Research the bets you want to place before traveling to a casino. The more informed your bets are, the greater your chances of winning.

2. Choose from one of the three tribal casinos in North Dakota.

3. In your chosen casino, find a betting window or betting kiosk. Make your selection and decide how much money to stake.

4. Check your selections again, as there are no refunds once you place your wager.

5. Confirm your bet to receive a betting ticket.

6. If your bet is successful, go to a betting window with your ticket to collect any winnings.

Who is Eligible to Bet in North Dakota?

You must be 21 or older to bet in North Dakota and you will need to bring a valid photo ID to enter a tribal casino.

Additionally, any individual listed below is ineligible to place wagers:

• Athletes, coaches, or members of any professional sports team.

• Referees for professional or college sports leagues.

• Individuals with the professional authority to influence players.

• Individuals employed by the sports leagues that create rules for sports (e.g., NFL, NCAA).

• Individuals with non-public information about a sports team (e.g., player medical records).

• Individuals that have voluntarily excluded themselves from gambling activities.

• Individuals who are prohibited from betting on a state or federal level (e.g., due to criminal history).

• Individuals with a stake in a sports team.

Latest North Dakota Sports Betting Updates

Timeline for Sports Betting in North Dakota

• December 1, 2021: The Dakota Nation Gaming Enterprise launches the Dakota Nation Sportsbook at Dakota Magic Casino & Hotel.

• March 22, 2021: The Senate votes against HB 3032 with a 22-23 vote.

• February 23, 2021: HB 3032 passes the House and moves to the Senate.

• February 2, 2021: HB 3032, a bill to send the question of sports betting to the public ballot, is introduced to the House.

• March 25, 2019: HB 1254 fails to pass the Senate by a vote of 7-38.February 20, 2019: HB 1254 passes the House by a 52 to 38 vote. The bill moves to the Senate. HB 1295

• fails to pass the House with a 30-62 vote.

• January 3, 2019: Representative Jason Dockter introduces HB 1254 to the House to legalize betting on professional and college sports. Rep. Thomas Beadle introduces HB 1295, which also plans to legalize sports betting.

• May 14, 2018: The US Supreme Court strikes down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA), allowing states to legalize sports betting.

• March 21, 2013: The Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Tribe signs the most recent of its gaming compacts with the state.

North Dakota Sports Betting Background

The launch of retail sports betting had nothing to do with any recent effort from lawmakers. The Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Tribe determined its gaming compacts included retail sports betting, and with the PASPA overruled, the tribe was free to launch a sportsbook.

The Three Affiliated Tribes – the Arikara, Hidatsa and Mandan Tribes – and the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians followed this example, opening sportsbooks at the 4 Bears Casino & Lodge and Sky Dancer Casino. So far, state lawmakers have not opposed the tribes’ decision.

On the online sports betting front, the state has been close to legalization. In 2021, lawmakers offered to send the issue to the public ballot to try and pass it through the Senate. SB 3032, which DraftKings backed, fell one vote short in the Senate.

Future of North Dakota Sports Betting

The precedent has been set that tribal casinos can launch retail sportsbooks in North Dakota, so many more retail betting locations are expected to launch in ND. In addition, following such a close attempt in 2021, lawmakers will likely try and legalize sports betting again in 2023.

If online sports betting does become legalized, DraftKings will be one of the first brands expected to launch. The operator backed the 2021 bill and has historically been among the first betting sites to launch in many new US sports betting states.

North Dakota’s Sports Betting Locations

There are 27 tribal casinos in North Dakota. You can place bets at three of these locations, operated by the Dakota Nation Gaming Enterprise and the Three Affiliated Tribes.

Dakota Magic Casino & Hotel

• Address: 16849 102nd St SE., Hankinson, ND 58041

• Website: https://dakotamagic.com/

• Phone Number: (701) 634-3000

• Operator: Dakota Nation Gaming Enterprise

The Dakota Magic Casino & Hotel opened the first sportsbook in North Dakota – the Dakota Nation Sportsbook – on December 1, 2021. The hotel sportsbook offers betting on a wide range of sports, including tennis, golf, and NASCAR. There is also a large video wall and lounge-style seating to watch major sporting events. Additionally, a full-service bar offers you drinks while betting.

4 Bears Casino & Lodge

• Address: 202 Frontage Road, New Town, ND 58763

• Website: https://4bearscasino.com/

• Phone Number: (800) 294-5454

• Operator: Three Affiliated Tribes

The 4 Bears Sportsbook is owned by the Three Affiliated Tribes. Using betting windows or self-service kiosks, you can bet on markets like MLB, PGA Tour, NHL, and MMA. There is comfortable seating so you can watch flat-screen TVs displaying the latest sports action. 4 Bears also offers hotel accommodation and four restaurant options, including the Bison Room Steakhouse for those with a big appetite.

Sky Dancer Casino

• Address: 3965 Sky Dancer Way NE., Belcourt, ND 58316

• Website: https://www.skydancercasino.com/

• Phone Number: (701) 244-2400

• Operator: Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians

The Sky Dancer Casino is run by the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and opened its sportsbook in partnership with IGT. You can watch games on widescreen TVs and use betting kiosks to place wagers. The casino offers streaming and markets for all the most popular leagues, including NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB. The sportsbook is open from Thursday through to Monday.

North Dakota Lottery Locations

The North Dakota Lottery was established in 2004 and only offers tickets for multi-state lotteries. You can buy tickets at retailers or online. Any previous attempts to legalize online sports betting have not included the North Dakota Lottery.

Off-Track and Stadium Betting Locations

You can only place retail sportsbook wagers at tribal casinos, so there is no betting at sports venues. However, there is pari-mutuel betting in the state, which was legalized in 1990. There are two active racetracks, the Chippewa Downs and North Dakota Horse Park. The North Dakota Racing Commission oversees all races and pari-mutuel betting.

Five off-track betting (OTB) locations offer simulcast facilities in North Dakota:

North Dakota Responsible Gambling Resources

• North Dakota National Council for Problem Gambling – Provides links to problem gambling resources across the state, an online live chat, and a 24/7 helpline. (800) 5522-4700.

• Gambler ND – Organizes meetings for problem gamblers to go and share their experiences, and a recovery program. (877) 702-7848.

There is no state-wide self-exclusion program for the retail sportsbooks at tribal casinos. However, you can self-exclude yourself from individual locations.

If online sports betting ever came to the state, operators would be expected to introduce responsible gambling tools like account limits, time-outs, and self-exclusion.

Teams to Bet on in North Dakota

Pro Sports

With a population of around 800,000, North Dakota is the 47th most populated state in the US. Therefore, there is not enough support to launch a major league franchise in North Dakota. However, there are still plenty of sports fans who get behind franchises in neighboring Minnesota.

Here are some of the most popular teams among fans in ND:

Minor League Sports

While major league sports may be out of the question in North Dakota, there are plenty of minor league teams for people to support. The Bismarck Bucks play indoor football in the Indoor Football League. They joined the Champions Indoor Football league as an expansion franchise in 2017 before moving to the IFL in 2019. The team plays at the 10,000-capacity Bismarck Civic Center.

Ice hockey fans can get their fill by watching the Fargo Force in the Western Conference of the United States Hockey League. Winning their first championship in 2018, they play games in front of 4,000 people at the Scheels Arena.

For baseball fanatics, the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks are a local minor league baseball team playing in the American Association of Professional Baseball West division. For their first 14 years of existence, the team played in the Northern League and won the league championship five times. They have won two division championships since switching leagues.

College Sports

North Dakota Fighting Hawks: The University of North Dakota is represented by the Fighting Hawks in the Summit League. The Fighting Hawks men’s ice hockey team has won the NCAA Division I Tournament eight times. Goaltender Ed Belfour, who is in the Hockey Hall of Fame, played for the Fighting Hawks from 1986-87. He is one of only two players to win an NCAA Championship, Stanley Cup, and Olympic gold medal.

North Dakota State Bison: Competing in the Summit League, there are 16 varsity teams playing for the North Dakota State University Bison. Since the football team joined Division I FCS, the Bison have won nine National Championship games. The school has produced high-level QBs in recent years, with Carson Wentz and Trey Lance both picked within the first three of the NFL Draft.

Women’s Sports

With no professional women’s sports teams, there is a lot of attention on the NCAA Division I college programs. Both the Fighting Hawks and the Bison have women’s basketball teams that have won multiple NCAA Division II Basketball Tournaments.

How Does North Dakota Compare to Other States?

Market Coverage

Some of the markets in North Dakota are provided by IGT, a company that’s partnered with Caesars in the past. Their quality is evident as you can wager on the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, soccer, MMA, and more.

You can also bet on college sports with no restrictions, which is much more relaxed than in states like New Jersey, which limits college sports wagering. However, bettors will have access to an even wider range of markets if online sportsbooks launch in North Dakota.

Competitive Odds & Prices

The Dakota Nation Sportsbook is operated by IGT, which operates in 15 other states in the US, so ND bettors could rest assured they are getting the same decent odds. There are good betting lines for player props too. However, if online sports betting were legalized, there would be more operators in the state which would make odds even more favorable for fans.

Gambling Revenue

Sportsbooks in North Dakota have to pay tax to the state government as a part of the tribal gaming compacts. However, with this information presently undisclosed, there’s no way to tell how the market is performing.

We can look at a similar state, Wyoming, to see what North Dakota might be missing by not legalizing online betting. Wyoming has a lower population (around 600,000) than North Dakota (approximately 800,000) and has only legalized online sports betting. As of June 2022, the state handled $103,991,926, with sportsbook revenue of $9,627,922. WY has a tax rate of 10% and has collected $364,498. ND would likely see similar tax benefits, if not more, due to its larger population.

Betting Taxes

Just like every bettor in the US, you need to declare all of your gambling winnings to the IRS in North Dakota. If you win more than $600 over a year, you must also complete a W-2G form. Every sportsbook can hold up to 25% of your betting winnings to follow tax laws. You also need to include your winnings in your state income tax, which ranges from 1.1% to 2.9% in ND.

Sportsbooks follow the Internal Revenue Code and pay an excise tax of 0.25% on every monthly betting handle. There is also a $50 tax for every employee taking wagers.

Who Oversees Sports Betting in North Dakota?

Currently, all the sportsbooks operating in North Dakota are overseen by the Dakota Nation Gaming Enterprise. The Enterprise operates sports betting through a gaming compact signed with the state, so it must fulfill the requirements of the gaming compact to operate. This includes ensuring sports betting is safe and fair for every player.

If online sports betting launches in North Dakota, a new regulatory body will have to be created. Unlike other states in the US, like Montana, ND has shown no interest in giving regulatory power to its lottery.