South Dakota Ranks Sixth-Lowest in U.S. for Traditional Lottery Spending, Study Finds

Rapid City, SD, September 29, 2026 —

A recent study conducted by PlayCasino.com has revealed that South Dakota ranks among the lowest states in the United States for traditional lottery spending per capita. The findings indicate that residents of South Dakota spent an average of $78 per person on traditional lottery games during fiscal year 2025.

This figure places South Dakota in the sixth-lowest position nationally for such expenditures. For comparison, the national average spending on lottery games for the same period was significantly higher, standing at $294 per person. It is important to note that this specific average for South Dakota excludes revenue generated from the state’s video lottery.

The PlayCasino.com study analyzed traditional lottery spending across all U.S. states to identify trends and disparities in player engagement. The average expenditure of $78 per person in South Dakota represents a notable difference when contrasted with the national average, highlighting a distinct pattern of lottery participation within the state.

The study’s methodology focused on traditional lottery products, such as scratch-off tickets and draw games, as opposed to other forms of gaming. The exclusion of video lottery revenue from the reported South Dakota figure means that the total gaming expenditure by residents may be higher than the $78 per capita figure suggests, depending on the popularity and revenue generated by these excluded video lottery games.

Further details regarding the specific methodologies used to collect and calculate the spending averages, as well as a comprehensive list of all states’ rankings, were part of the PlayCasino.com study. The contractor’s name for the study was PlayCasino.com. The fine amount was not provided.

Story summarized from the original created by Tamara Chibe on www.kotatv.com, see more information here.

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