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                                                                    EXHIBIT 31.1

                                 CERTIFICATIONS
I, Lyle Berman, certify that:

1.       I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Lakes
         Entertainment, Inc.;

2.       Based on my knowledge, this quarterly report does not contain any
         untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
         necessary to make the statement made, in light of the circumstances
         under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to
         the period covered by this quarterly report;

3.       Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
         information included in this quarterly report, fairly present in all
         material respects the financial condition, results of operations and
         cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in
         this quarterly report;

4.       Lakes Entertainment, Inc.'s other certifying officer(s) and I are
         responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and
         procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e))
         for Lakes Entertainment, Inc., and have:

         a.       designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused
                  such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under
                  our supervision, to ensure that material information relating
                  to Lakes Entertainment, Inc., including its consolidated
                  subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those
                  entities, particularly during the period in which this
                  quarterly report is being prepared;

         b.       evaluated the effectiveness of Lakes Entertainment, Inc.'s
                  disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this
                  report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the
                  disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the
                  period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

         c.       disclosed in this report any change in Lakes Entertainment,
                  Inc.'s internal control over financial reporting that occurred
                  during Lakes Entertainment, Inc.'s most recent fiscal quarter
                  that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to
                  materially affect, Lakes Entertainment, Inc.'s internal
                  control over financial reporting;

5.       Lakes Entertainment, Inc.'s other certifying officer(s) and I have
         disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over
         financial reporting, to Lakes Entertainment, Inc.'s auditors and the
         audit committee of Lakes Entertainment, Inc.'s board of directors or
         persons performing the equivalent functions):

         a.       all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the
                  design or operation of internal control over financial
                  reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect
                  Lakes Entertainment, Inc.'s ability to record, process,
                  summarize and report financial information; and

         b.       any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management
                  or other employees who have a significant role in Lakes
                  Entertainment, Inc.'s internal control over financial
                  reporting.

Date:  November 12, 2003                     /s/Lyle Berman
                                             --------------------------
                                             Lyle Berman
                                             Chief Executive Officer