South Dakota: Deadwood Casino Revenue Rises 4.3% Year-Over-Year In January

Casino gaming in Deadwood started the year off on a positive note, with total revenue of $11.1million in January, a 4.3% increase compared to the same period last year. 

According to the latest figures, casino gaming in Deadwood continues to grow steadily despite a sharp downturn in sports betting revenue.

Slot machines remain the leading source of revenue for the historic Black Hills gaming hub, generating total revenue of $9.8m for the month, a 5% increase from the same period last year. 

Blackjack The Ace In The Pack

Table games also saw a rise in revenue, generating $1.3m in January, a 4.6% increase over last year's figures for the same period.

Among table games, blackjack emerged as the best performer in January, with a 23.5% increase in revenue to just over $615,000, making it the highest-grossing table game for the month. 

However, not all table games experienced a rise in revenue. 

Decline In Roulette And Craps

Roulette and craps experienced sharp downturns, with revenue down 31.8% and 27.6% respectively compared to last year's figures for the same period. Poker revenue was down 7.6% using the same measure.

Slots remain the leading source of revenue for Deadwood, with penny slot machines leading the pack in January. 

One-cent slot machines generated $8.4m in revenue for the month, representing a rise of 8.4%. Five-cent slot machines also experienced a sharp rise in revenue, up 130% to just over $51,000.

The continued dominance of lower-denomination machines mirrors broader industry trends seen at some of the best online casinos, where players increasingly gravitate toward flexible betting options and high-engagement titles.

Similarly, many of the best online slots feature low minimum stakes and bonus-driven gameplay, a pattern that appears consistent with Deadwood’s strong penny and nickel slot performance.

Meanwhile, higher-denomination slot machines showed inconsistent results. Five-dollar slot machines increased by 22.6%, while $25 slot machines increased a modest 0.9%. 

Sports Betting Suffers Slump

Conversely, several mid-range slot machine categories experienced a decline in revenue. 

Revenue from 50-cent slot machines declined by nearly 60%. In addition, 25-cent slot machines were down 21.3%, while $1 slot machines suffered a 17.4% drop. This could indicate a trend toward lower-denomination gaming options. 

One of the more dramatic changes in Deadwood's gaming revenue occurred in the sports betting arena. This type of gaming experienced a dramatic decline in revenue in January. 

Revenue dropped by more than 66%. This represents a decline from more than $108,000 a year ago to $36,800. 

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Winter Months A Boon For South Dakota

This is in stark contrast to the steady increases in slot machine and table-game revenue. 

Deadwood’s gaming industry continues to provide a strong economic engine for South Dakota. This is especially true during the winter months when tourists are attracted to the area. 

While gaming operations remain slot-heavy, table games account for a steady, if modest, share of gaming revenue. 

Industry analysts have identified several gaming operations in the region where the trend appears to follow a predictable pattern. This is especially true in more traditional gaming operations, where casino-style gaming remains strong despite the ups and downs in other forms of gaming. 

As the year progresses, gaming operations in Deadwood will likely continue to monitor performance in the sports gaming arena. In addition, gaming operations will likely continue to invest in slot machines and table games.