States / Montana

Montana

Sports betting is a Montana Lottery monopoly offered only on the premises of about 2,000 licensed taverns and casinos.
Bars host licensed video gambling machines and live card tables, and six of seven reservations have Class III compacts.
Online casinos and sweepstakes platforms are banned, and the state has pursued Kalshi as illegal gambling.

More detail

Sports betting. Sports wagering is a Montana Lottery monopoly ("Sports Bet Montana", operated with Intralot technology). Betting is geofenced to the physical premises of ~2,000 licensed taverns and casinos via GeoComply beacons. There is no statewide mobile product.
Video gambling and card tables. The Department of Justice's Gambling Control Division licenses video gambling machines (VGMs) in bars at a 15% gross-income tax, in place since 1987. It also licenses live card tables (poker/panguingue) at the same licensed, liquor-serving premises.
Tribal gaming. Six of Montana's seven reservations have Class III tribal gaming compacts. They are Fort Peck, Rocky Boy's, Crow, Fort Belknap, Northern Cheyenne, and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. The Salish and Kootenai compact was signed in Sept. 2025 and approved by the U.S. Department of the Interior in January 2026. The Blackfeet Nation operates Class II bingo-style gaming only.
Online casinos and sweepstakes. A 2025 law (SB 555) rewrote the "internet gambling" definition to explicitly ban online casinos and dual-currency sweepstakes platforms. Platforms using no currency at all are exempt.
Prediction markets. In 2025-26 the Gambling Control Division cease-and-desisted, paused, then re-cited Kalshi as illegal gambling. The company responded with a federal lawsuit.

Reviewed Oct 11, 2026 · 41 sources

Legal status

LiveLegal, not launchedLimitedContestedProhibitedNot authorizedRepealedNA

Vertical	Status	Launched	Model	Details
Sports (online)	Limited	May 2020	Monopoly State	The Sports Bet Montana app is geofenced with GeoComply Bluetooth beacons to the physical space of licensed premises; there is no statewide/off-premises mobile wagering. Gov. Steve Bullock signed HB 725 (Ch. 284, L. 2019) on May 3, 2019, with an immediate effective date. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes' new Class III compact (DOI-approved Jan. 26, 2026) separately gives the state and CSKT concurrent jurisdiction to regulate sports wagering on the Flathead Reservation, a carve-out from the Lottery's statewide monopoly. 2019 Mont. Laws, Ch. 284 (HB 725, Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act); Mont. Code Ann. § 23-7-104 [1],[2],[3],[4]?
Sports (retail)	Live	May 2020	Monopoly State	Montana Lottery is the sole sports-wagering operator; bets are placed in person or via app at ~2,000 licensed taverns/casinos, using Intralot as technology provider. Gov. Steve Bullock signed HB 725 on May 3, 2019 (the bill carried an immediate effective date, so the signing date and effective date are the same). 2019 Mont. Laws, Ch. 284 (HB 725, Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act); Mont. Code Ann. § 23-7-104 [1],[2],[4]
Online casino	Prohibited	Legalized Oct 1, 2025		SB 555 (signed May 23, 2025, effective Oct. 1, 2025) rewrote "internet gambling" to explicitly include online casinos "by whatever name known," with felony penalties; carves out only platforms using no currency at all. Mont. Code Ann. §23-5-112 (as amended by 2025 SB 555) [5]
Online poker	Prohibited			Covered by Montana's general internet-gambling ban; no licensing framework exists for online peer-to-peer poker. Live poker is legal only at licensed, on-premises card tables at bars and casinos. Mont. Code Ann. §23-5-112 [5]
Commercial casinos	Not authorized			No commercial-casino license category exists; non-tribal gaming is limited to video gambling machines and live card tables at licensed liquor-serving premises (bars/"casinos" in local parlance are VGM/card-table locations, not full casinos). Mont. Code Ann. Title 23, ch. 5 [6]
Tribal casinos	Limited		Monopoly Tribal	Per the Montana DOJ Gambling Control Division's own compacts page, six of Montana's seven reservations now hold Class III compacts: Fort Peck (new compact Dec. 2023, DOI-approved Jan. 23, 2024; up to 925 Class III machines), Rocky Boy's (Chippewa Cree, new compact Dec. 2012), Crow (compact effective March 8, 2013; up to 750 Class III machines), Fort Belknap, Northern Cheyenne (up to 750 machines), and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation, whose prior compact lapsed in 2006 and which signed a NEW Class III compact with the state in September 2025, approved by the U.S. Department of the Interior on January 26, 2026 (up to 925 Class III machines; notably this compact also gives the state and CSKT concurrent jurisdiction to regulate sports wagering within the Reservation -- a carve-out from the Montana Lottery's statewide sports-betting monopoly). The Blackfeet Nation's compact was terminated in 1997; 2006 negotiations did not produce a new one, so Blackfeet has no Class III compact and operates Glacier Peaks Casino as Class II only. IGRA Class III compacts (Fort Peck, Rocky Boy's, Crow, Fort Belknap, Northern Cheyenne, CSKT/Flathead) [3]
Lottery	Live	Jun 24, 1987	Monopoly State	Created by voter-approved Legislative Referendum 100 (Nov. 4, 1986, ~69% yes in all 56 counties), exercising the people's constitutional power to authorize gambling by referendum under Mont. Const. art. III, § 9; codified as the Montana State Lottery Act of 1985 at Mont. Code Ann. Title 23, ch. 7. First ticket sold June 24, 1987. Currently offers Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto America, and Millionaire for Life as multistate games, plus in-state draw/scratch games. Mont. Const. art. III, § 9; Mont. Code Ann. Title 23, ch. 7 (Montana State Lottery Act of 1985) [7],[8],[9]
iLottery	Not authorized			Montana Lottery's own site offers only a mobile app (ticket scanning/second-chance entry) and store locator, with no online draw-ticket or e-instant purchase flow found; no statute authorizes direct online lottery ticket sales.[10]
Daily fantasy	Prohibited			Montana's internet-gambling statute has long been cited as one of the few explicit statutory bars on daily fantasy sports; DraftKings and FanDuel have historically blocked Montana customers. A 2017-era bill (HB 181) would have created a small-stakes ($100 fee cap) fantasy-sports exemption; its final disposition has not been confirmed. Mont. Code Ann. §23-5-112 [11]
VGTs / VLTs	Live	1987	Competitive	Video Gambling Machine Control Law (enacted Ch. 603, L. 1987) licenses VGMs at bars/taverns with on-premises liquor licenses; more than 1,400 licensed operators/locations and 16,000+ machines statewide. Not available to tribal gaming operations. Mont. Code Ann. §23-5-610; Mont. Code Ann. §23-5-602 et seq. [12],[6]
Historical horse racing	Not authorized			2019's SB 183 authorized only study/rulemaking by the Board of Horseracing and expressly stated "nothing in this section may be construed to allow the board of horseracing to offer historical horseracing"; that rulemaking authority terminated June 30, 2021. A 2021 follow-up bill (SB 189) would have authorized HHR machines tied to racing-industry funding, but its final enactment has not been confirmed. Mont. Code Ann. §23-4-110 (2019, terminated 2021-06-30) [13],[14]
Sweepstakes casinos	Prohibited	Legalized Oct 1, 2025		SB 555 (signed May 23, 2025, effective Oct. 1, 2025) extends the internet-gambling felony ban to dual-currency sweepstakes-style platforms regardless of the word "sweepstakes" being used, while exempting platforms that allow no currency of any kind — widely reported as the first explicit state sweepstakes-casino ban. Mont. Code Ann. §23-5-112 (as amended by 2025 SB 555) [5]
Prediction markets	Contested			Montana sits in the Ninth Circuit. The Gambling Control Division sent Kalshi a cease-and-desist letter around March 2025, and the parties agreed that April to pause enforcement pending related Nevada federal litigation. After that Nevada injunction was dissolved in November 2025, but before the Ninth Circuit ruled against Kalshi on the same federal-preemption question in KalshiEX, LLC v. Assad (9th Cir. Aug. 28, 2026), Montana's Division issued an order on April 6, 2026 finding Kalshi's event contracts illegal gambling and threatening criminal prosecution. Kalshi sued the Attorney General and Division officials in federal court, seeking a ruling that its contracts are federally preempted.[15],[16]?
Skill games	Not authorized			Montana's Amusement Games Act (Title 23, ch. 6) codifies a narrow, permitted category of coin/token-operated "games of skill" (carnival/arcade-style games such as pocket billiards, shuffleboard, and "other coin- or token-operated games of skill") under a specific 3-part statutory skill test, separate from licensed VGM/gambling devices; §23-6-106 independently prohibits gambling and illegal gambling devices. No unregulated slot-style "skill game" grey-machine industry (as seen in Kentucky, Pennsylvania or Virginia) was found to exist in Montana; any device resembling a gambling device falls under the licensed VGM framework (Title 23, ch. 5) instead of the Amusement Games Act's narrow carve-out. Mont. Code Ann. Title 23, ch. 6 (Amusement Games Act) [17]
Card rooms	Live		Competitive	Live poker/panguingue card tables require an operator's license (§23-5-177) plus an on-premises liquor license, a per-table permit, and a separately licensed dealer; games must be played at a permitted table on the licensed premises. Mont. Code Ann. §23-5-306; Mont. Code Ann. §23-5-308; Mont. Code Ann. §23-5-309 [18]
Lottery couriers	Live		Competitive	A November 2022 state legal opinion allows third-party lottery courier apps to operate if they sell tickets at face value, buy the physical tickets from licensed Montana retailers, and serve only adult customers physically located in Montana; separate delivery/convenience fees are allowed. Jackpocket and Mido Lotto are the two courier apps reported to be licensed in Montana. Separately, after a bulk-buy incident on a Montana Cash drawing in May 2025, the Lottery has been pursuing rules to limit bulk ticket purchases; that effort targets purchase volume, not courier services themselves.[19],[20]?
Pick'em fantasy	Prohibited			Treated the same as peer-to-peer DFS under the internet-gambling ban; no operator confirmed active in Montana.[11]
Pari-mutuel	Live		Hybrid	Board of Horseracing licenses live and simulcast pari-mutuel race meets; by 2019 only two tracks remained active, running as few as 8 days of live racing a year. Mont. Code Ann. Title 23, ch. 4; Mont. Code Ann. §23-4-301; Mont. Code Ann. §23-4-104 [21]
Advance deposit wagering	Live		Competitive	Advance deposit wagering is defined in §23-4-101 as a parimutuel form funded through a licensed hub operator; the Board licenses ADW providers and conducts/supervises ADW under 2007 rulemaking authority. Mont. Code Ann. §23-4-101 [21]
Charitable gaming	Live		Monopoly State	Bingo, raffles, and calcutta pools are licensed by the Montana Gambling Control Division alongside video gambling machines and card-table gaming. Mont. Code Ann. Title 23, ch. 5 [22]
Esports betting	Not authorized			No statutory carve-out; the Lottery's sports-wagering monopoly covers traditional sports only, and esports wagering would otherwise fall under the general internet-gambling ban.[5]
Social casino	Live			SB 555's 2025 "internet gambling" definition exempts online casino-style platforms that "do not allow the use of currency of any kind," i.e., free-to-play social casino apps with no purchase/redemption path. Mont. Code Ann. §23-5-112 (as amended by 2025 SB 555) [5]

Sports betting in Montana: status, tax rate, sportsbooks and bills →

Tax rates

Vertical	Channel	Rate	Base	Promos deductible	Since	Statute
Card rooms	retail	No GGR/revenue tax on card-room (poker/panguingue) operations. Operators pay flat license/permit fees instead: an operator's license under §23-5-177, a per-table permit, and fees for the on-premises liquor license and each licensed dealer, rather than a percentage-of-revenue tax.	OTHER	No	1987	Mont. Code Ann. §§23-5-177, 23-5-306, 23-5-308, 23-5-309[18]?
Sports (online)	online	Same state-lottery-monopoly structure as sports_retail (mobile play is geofenced to licensed premises, not a standalone statewide product): no separate operator GGR tax; licensed host locations receive a 3% commission on gross sales, remainder to the State Lottery Fund.	OTHER	No	May 2020	2019 Mont. Laws (HB 725, Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act)[35]
Sports (retail)	retail	Not a tax on a private operator: Sports Bet Montana is a Montana Lottery product, so wagering proceeds are state lottery revenue rather than a GGR tax. Licensed host locations (taverns and casinos) that place terminals/kiosks receive a 3% commission on the gross sales placed at their location; the remainder flows to the State Lottery Fund.	OTHER	No	May 2020	2019 Mont. Laws (HB 725, Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act) FY2025: $66,184,270 in sales, $5,956,584 returned to the state; lifetime through CY2025, $314,126,400 in total sales and $27,724,260 total return to the state. [35]
VGTs / VLTs	retail	15%	GGR		1987	Mont. Code Ann. §23-5-610 (enacted Ch. 603, L. 1987; base wording amended Ch. 598, L. 2023) Rate has remained 15% of gross income (net of payouts) since original 1987 enactment; a 2023 amendment changed the base description to "aggregate gross income" without changing the rate. [12]

Rules and requirements

Casinos

Number of federally recognized tribes with Class III compacts: 6
Fort Peck, Rocky Boy's, Crow, Fort Belknap, Northern Cheyenne, and (as of a new compact DOI-approved Jan. 26, 2026) the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (Flathead) have Class III compacts per the Montana DOJ's own compacts page; Blackfeet has none (Class II gaming only, via Glacier Peaks Casino).
[3]

Legislation

Summary of significant pending gambling legislation this session: No active bill to expand statewide mobile sports betting or legalize igaming was identified; the dominant 2025-26 gambling-policy story is SB 555's internet-gambling/sweepstakes ban and the resulting Kalshi prediction-market litigation.[5],[15]?

Minimum age

Minimum age for charitable bingo/raffles: 18[25]?
Minimum age to purchase lottery: 18
Mont. Code Ann. § 23-7-302(2): "Tickets, chances, wagers, or bets may not be sold to or purchased by persons under 18 years of age." This covers both lottery tickets and Sports Bet Montana wagers, since both are lottery products under Title 23, ch. 7.
[26]
Minimum age for pari-mutuel wagering: 18
A "minor" (under 18) may not use the parimutuel wagering system.
[27],[28]
Minimum age to place a sports wager: 18
Same statute as the lottery age floor, since Sports Bet Montana is a Montana Lottery product under Title 23, ch. 7; the operator's own site also states the 18-and-over requirement.
[26],[29]

Prediction markets

Summary of the state's action against sports event contracts (C&D: Gambling Control Division cease-and-desisted Kalshi (~Mar. 2025), paused enforcement, then on 2026-04-06 ruled Kalshi's contracts illegal gambling and threatened criminal prosecution; Kalshi sued in federal court.[15]

Sports betting rules

Wagering on college sports allowed at all: Yes[30],[31]
Wagering on in-state college teams allowed: Yes
Sports Bet Montana has taken wagers on in-state rivalry games such as the Griz-Cats "Brawl of the Wild."
[31]
Individual college player prop bets allowed: Yes
The Montana Lottery declined a 2024 NCAA request to drop college player-prop markets, citing the state's limited number of in-state college teams.
[30]
Credit cards may be used to fund accounts: No
Montana law requires gambling consideration to be paid in cash (a debit card or bank transfer may be used to obtain cash or fund an account, but not a credit card).
[32]?
New online accounts must be created in person: No
Bettors create a Sports Bet Montana account online or through the app, verifying identity with a driver's license or Social Security number; wagers must still be placed while physically on a licensed location's premises.
[33]?
Online sports wagering available statewide (not tethered to premises): No
The Sports Bet Montana app is geofenced to licensed premises; no off-premises mobile wagering.
[1],[2]

Sweepstakes

Effective date of sweepstakes casino ban: 2025-10-01[5]
Statute or regulator action specifically bans dual-currency online sweepstakes casinos: Yes[5]

Tax revenue

Where gaming tax revenue goes (education fund: Lottery profits originally reduced property taxes; since the 1990s, net lottery revenue has gone mostly to the state General Fund, apart from the first $2.25 million each fiscal year, which funds the STEM Scholarship Program. Separately, all video gambling machine tax (15% of gross income) goes to the General Fund; the smaller bingo/keno tax (1% of gross proceeds) goes to the municipality or county where the game is located, and $100 of each live-card-table and video-machine license permit fee goes to local governments.[7],[6]?
Uses that sports-wagering tax revenue is directed to by law, largest share first where the law sets shares: general_fund, scholarships[24],[34]?

Revenue

Multi-month totals

Vertical	Period	Tax paid
VGTs / VLTs	Apr 1, 2026 to Jun 30, 2026	$22.3M
VGTs / VLTs	Jan 1, 2026 to Mar 31, 2026	$21.7M
VGTs / VLTs	Oct 1, 2025 to Dec 31, 2025	$21.4M
VGTs / VLTs	Jul 1, 2025 to Sep 30, 2025	$21.2M
VGTs / VLTs	Apr 1, 2025 to Jun 30, 2025	$20.9M
VGTs / VLTs	Jan 1, 2025 to Mar 31, 2025	$20.3M
VGTs / VLTs	Oct 1, 2024 to Dec 31, 2024	$21.3M
VGTs / VLTs	Jul 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2024	$21.1M
VGTs / VLTs	Apr 1, 2024 to Jun 30, 2024	$21.1M
VGTs / VLTs	Jan 1, 2024 to Mar 31, 2024	$20.6M
VGTs / VLTs	Oct 1, 2023 to Dec 31, 2023	$20.6M
VGTs / VLTs	Jul 1, 2023 to Sep 30, 2023	$20.8M
VGTs / VLTs	Apr 1, 2023 to Jun 30, 2023	$20.3M
VGTs / VLTs	Jan 1, 2023 to Mar 31, 2023	$20.3M
VGTs / VLTs	Oct 1, 2022 to Dec 31, 2022	$19.4M
VGTs / VLTs	Jul 1, 2022 to Sep 30, 2022	$19.6M
VGTs / VLTs	Apr 1, 2022 to Jun 30, 2022	$19.9M
VGTs / VLTs	Jan 1, 2022 to Mar 31, 2022	$19.1M
VGTs / VLTs	Oct 1, 2021 to Dec 31, 2021	$19.1M
VGTs / VLTs	Jul 1, 2021 to Sep 30, 2021	$19.7M
VGTs / VLTs	Apr 1, 2021 to Jun 30, 2021	$21.1M
VGTs / VLTs	Jan 1, 2021 to Mar 31, 2021	$19.6M
VGTs / VLTs	Oct 1, 2020 to Dec 31, 2020	$16.1M
VGTs / VLTs	Jul 1, 2020 to Sep 30, 2020	$17.9M
VGTs / VLTs	Apr 1, 2020 to Jun 30, 2020	$10.6M
VGTs / VLTs	Jan 1, 2020 to Mar 31, 2020	$14.5M
VGTs / VLTs	Oct 1, 2019 to Dec 31, 2019	$15.9M
VGTs / VLTs	Jul 1, 2019 to Sep 30, 2019	$16.2M
VGTs / VLTs	Apr 1, 2019 to Jun 30, 2019	$16.1M
VGTs / VLTs	Jan 1, 2019 to Mar 31, 2019	$15.5M
VGTs / VLTs	Oct 1, 2018 to Dec 31, 2018	$15.5M
VGTs / VLTs	Jul 1, 2018 to Sep 30, 2018	$15.7M
VGTs / VLTs	Apr 1, 2018 to Jun 30, 2018	$15.5M
VGTs / VLTs	Jan 1, 2018 to Mar 31, 2018	$15.0M

What these figures mean

VGTs / VLTs: Tax paid is video gambling machine tax collections (15%) stated in the quarterly summary. Quarterly figures; Montana does not publish handle or GGR.

Revenue report sources (34)

Lottery

Status: Live · Monopoly State
Notes
Created by voter-approved Legislative Referendum 100 (Nov. 4, 1986, ~69% yes in all 56 counties), exercising the people's constitutional power to authorize gambling by referendum under Mont. Const. art. III, § 9; codified as the Montana State Lottery Act of 1985 at Mont. Code Ann. Title 23, ch. 7. First ticket sold June 24, 1987. Currently offers Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto America, and Millionaire for Life as multistate games, plus in-state draw/scratch games.
[7],[8],[9]
Authorized: Nov 4, 1986
Mont. Const. art. III, § 9; Mont. Code Ann. Title 23, ch. 7 (Montana State Lottery Act of 1985)
First tickets sold: Jun 24, 1987
Run by: Montana Lottery
Minimum age: 18[26]
Multistate games: Powerball, Mega Millions, Lotto America, Millionaire for Life[23]
Where the money goes: By statute (Mont. Code Ann. § 23-7-402), the first $2.25 million of net Montana Lottery revenue each fiscal year is transferred quarterly, in four equal $562,500 payments, to the Montana STEM Scholarship Program special revenue account; net revenue above that threshold goes to the state General Fund.[24]
Online sales (iLottery): Not authorized
Notes
Montana Lottery's own site offers only a mobile app (ticket scanning/second-chance entry) and store locator, with no online draw-ticket or e-instant purchase flow found; no statute authorizes direct online lottery ticket sales.
[10]
Courier services: Live
Notes
A November 2022 state legal opinion allows third-party lottery courier apps to operate if they sell tickets at face value, buy the physical tickets from licensed Montana retailers, and serve only adult customers physically located in Montana; separate delivery/convenience fees are allowed. Jackpocket and Mido Lotto are the two courier apps reported to be licensed in Montana. Separately, after a bulk-buy incident on a Montana Cash drawing in May 2025, the Lottery has been pursuing rules to limit bulk ticket purchases; that effort targets purchase volume, not courier services themselves.
[19],[20]?

Lottery sales and money kept by the stateState fiscal years

SalesKept by the stateOnline gambling legalized

$50.0M$100MFY2012FY2015FY2018FY2021FY20241$82.9M$16.3M

1May 3, 2019: online sports betting (limited) legalized · launched May 2020

Yearly figures

Fiscal year	Sales	Prizes	Administration	Kept by the state	Prize share
FY2024	$82.9M	$53.8M	$12.8M	$16.3M	65%
FY2023	$81.5M	$49.3M	$12.7M	$19.5M	61%
FY2022	$77.4M	$41.2M	$17.3M	$18.9M	53%
FY2021	$63.2M	$43.1M	$10.1M	$9.9M	68%
FY2020	$59.9M	$36.8M	$7.9M	$15.2M	61%
FY2019	$60.3M	$34.5M	$7.8M	$18.0M	57%
FY2018	$59.7M	$32.6M	$7.9M	$19.2M	55%
FY2017	$63.2M	$33.7M	$7.6M	$21.9M	53%
FY2016	$55.5M	$29.3M	$8.2M	$18.0M	53%
FY2015	$55.5M	$29.3M	$8.2M	$18.0M	53%
FY2014	$56.1M	$29.5M	$8.2M	$18.4M	53%
FY2013	$60.2M	$32.2M	$8.0M	$20.0M	53%
FY2012	$49.5M	$28.6M	$7.6M	$13.3M	58%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State Government Finances

Lottery timeline

Jun 24, 1987 · Launched · Lottery
Montana Lottery sells its first ticket[7]
Nov 4, 1986 · Legalized · Lottery
Voters approve Legislative Referendum 100, creating the Montana Lottery[7]

Licensed operators

Operator	Brand	Vertical	License	Status	Launched	Partner / venue
Intralot	Sports Bet Montana (mobile, on-premises)	Sports (online)	Sole Montana Lottery sports-wagering technology/operations provider	active	May 2020	Montana Lottery[36]
Intralot	Sports Bet Montana	Sports (retail)	Sole Montana Lottery sports-wagering technology/operations provider	active	May 2020	Montana Lottery[36],[37]

Casinos

3 properties open.

Property	Type	City	Operator	Opened	Hotel
Gray Wolf Peak Casino[40]?	Tribal casino	Evaro	Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
KwaTaqNuk Resort & Casino[40]	Tribal casino	Polson	Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes		Yes
Northern Winz Casino[41]	Tribal casino	Box Elder	Chippewa Cree Tribe	Mar 2007

Enforcement

Actions against unlicensed operators

Date	Against	Action	Amount	What happened
Mar 26, 2025	KalshiEX, LLC	Cease and desist Prediction markets		Montana's Gambling Control Division ordered Kalshi to cease and desist offering its "event contracts" to Montana residents, concluding after an investigation that the contracts constitute illegal, unlicensed gambling and illegal sports wagering under state law.[38]

Tribal gaming

Compact notices in the Federal Register: 32 · first notice May 16, 1997, latest Jan 26, 2026

Tribal gaming revenue in the NIGC Rapid City Region

NIGC Rapid City RegionFederal fiscal years

$200M$400M$600MFY2019FY2021FY2023FY2025$440M

The National Indian Gaming Commission reports revenue only by region. This region also includes North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming.[39]

Compact notices

Published	Tribe	Notice	Federal Register
Jan 26, 2026	Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Indian Reservation	Compact took effect without action	91 FR 3214
Jan 29, 2024	Assiniboine & Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Montana	Compact approved	89 FR 5572
Feb 7, 2014	Crow Tribe of Montana	Amendment approved	79 FR 7474
Mar 21, 2013	Northern Cheyenne Tribe	Compact approved	78 FR 17427
Feb 13, 2013	Chippewa-Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation	Compact approved	78 FR 10203
Dec 28, 2012	Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Reservation	Compact approved	77 FR 76514
Apr 22, 2009	Crow Tribe of Montana	Amendment approved	74 FR 18398
Sep 9, 2008	Crow Tribe of Montana	Compact extended	73 FR 52409
Apr 3, 2008	Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy's Reservation	Amendment approved	73 FR 18297
Dec 10, 2007	Fort Belknap Tribe	Compact approved	72 FR 69706
Apr 30, 2007	Northern Cheyenne Tribe	Compact extended	72 FR 21284
Jun 7, 2006	Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy's Reservation	Amendment approved	71 FR 33000
Aug 13, 2004	Crow Tribe	Compact extended	69 FR 50210
Jul 6, 2004	Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Reservation	Compact extended	69 FR 40646
Apr 30, 2004	Crow Tribe	Compact extended	69 FR 23809
Sep 25, 2003	Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Reservation	Compact extended	68 FR 55411
Feb 27, 2003	Crow Tribe	Amendment approved	68 FR 9095
Feb 27, 2003	Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Reservation	Amendment approved	68 FR 9095
Dec 9, 2002	Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Reservation	Compact extended	67 FR 72967
Aug 9, 2002	Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Reservation	Compact extended	67 FR 51867
Aug 5, 2002	Northern Cheyenne Tribe	Compact approved	67 FR 50689
Jun 11, 2002	Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Reservation	Compact extended	67 FR 40003
May 31, 2002	Northern Cheyenne Tribe	Compact approved	67 FR 38145
Dec 14, 2001	Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Nation	Compact approved	66 FR 64855
Nov 24, 2000	Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes	Amendment approved	65 FR 70609
Jun 8, 2000	Northern Cheyenne Tribe	Compact approved	65 FR 36461
May 12, 2000	Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes	Amendment approved	65 FR 30605
Sep 1, 1999	Northern Cheyenne Tribe	Compact approved	64 FR 47858
Oct 19, 1998	Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Reservation	Amendment approved	63 FR 55887
Jun 12, 1998	Crow Indian Tribe	Compact approved	63 FR 32240
May 8, 1998	Northern Cheyenne Tribe	Compact approved	63 FR 25518
May 16, 1997	Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Nation	Compact approved	62 FR 27065

The Interior Department publishes a notice when a compact or amendment is approved or takes effect. Older compacts published before 1994 are not included.

Economy

Adults 21 and over: 862K (2024; 1.1M residents)
Gambling taxes collected: $88.4M in FY2025 · 1.83% of all state taxes
Gambling jobs: 3,906 in 2025 · $26,382 average annual pay

Gambling taxes collectedState fiscal years

Gambling taxesLottery proceeds

$50.0M$100M$150MFY2013FY2016FY2019FY2022FY2025$88.4M$16.3M

Census Bureau tax collections on amusements and pari-mutuel wagering. Most states book casino, sports betting and video gaming taxes here; amusement taxes can also include admissions taxes unrelated to gambling. Lottery proceeds are what the lottery transfers to the state after prizes and costs.

Gambling jobsAnnual average

2,0004,0002015201720192021202320253,906

Casinos, casino hotels, card rooms, bingo halls, off-track betting and slot-route operators, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Racetracks are not included. Jobs at tribal casinos are counted as government jobs.

Gambling jobs by industry, 2025

Industry	Ownership	Employers	Jobs	Average pay
Gambling industries	tribal and other government-owned	6	336	$41,714
Gambling industries	privately owned	405	3,570	$24,941

Taxes by fiscal year

Fiscal year	Amusement taxes	Pari-mutuel taxes	Share of state taxes	Lottery proceeds
FY2025	$88.4M	$0	1.83%	—
FY2024	$88.0M	$0	1.87%	$16.3M
FY2023	$84.8M	$0	1.80%	$19.5M
FY2022	$128M	$169K	2.76%	$18.9M
FY2021	$121M	$104K	3.13%	$9.9M
FY2020	$62.1M	$117K	1.96%	$15.2M
FY2019	$67.8M	$209K	2.15%	$18.0M
FY2018	$65.0M	$226K	2.17%	$19.2M
FY2017	$64.6M	$179K	2.37%	$21.9M
FY2016	$68.0M	$44.0K	2.59%	$18.0M

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 Population Estimates: Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for the United States, States (NST-EST2025-ALLDATA); U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State Government Tax Collections (STC): Historical Dataset; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2025 annual averages, NAICS 7132 (Gambling industries)

Timeline

Apr 6, 2026 · Enforcement Action · Prediction markets
Division rules Kalshi's event contracts are illegal gambling and threatens criminal charges; Kalshi sues in federal court[15]
Oct 1, 2025 · Prohibited · Sweepstakes casinos
SB 555's expanded internet-gambling ban takes effect[5]
May 23, 2025 · Prohibited · Online casino
Gov. Gianforte signs SB 555, banning online casinos and dual-currency sweepstakes platforms under the internet-gambling law[5]
Mar 2025 · Cease And Desist · Prediction markets
Gambling Control Division sends Kalshi a cease-and-desist letter[15]
May 2020 · Launched · Sports (online)
Sports Bet Montana launches with GeoComply on-premises geofencing and Intralot technology[2]
May 3, 2019 · Legalized · Sports (online)
Gov. Steve Bullock signs HB 725, making Montana Lottery the sole sports-wagering operator, effective immediately[4],[1]
Ch. 284, L. 2019
Jun 24, 1987 · Launched · Lottery
Montana Lottery sells its first ticket[7]
1987 · Legalized · VGTs / VLTs
Video Gambling Machine Control Law enacted, setting the 15% VGM tax[12]
Ch. 603, L. 1987
Nov 4, 1986 · Legalized · Lottery
Voters approve Legislative Referendum 100, creating the Montana Lottery[7]

Regulators

Gambling Control Division, Montana Department of Justice — VGTs / VLTs, Card rooms, Charitable gaming, Online casino, Sweepstakes casinos, Prediction markets, Daily fantasy, Pick'em fantasy
Montana Lottery — Lottery, iLottery, Sports (retail), Sports (online)
Montana Board of Horseracing — Pari-mutuel, Advance deposit wagering, Historical horse racing
Montana Office of the Attorney General (Austin Knudsen) — Prediction markets

Sources

Sports Bet Montana — Montana's Exclusive Sportsbook · Montana Lottery · regulator page · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
“Montana's Exclusive Sportsbook”
GeoComply's PinPoint Powers On-Premise Sports Betting in Montana · GeoComply · secondary · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
secondary/vendor source only.
State-Tribal Gaming Compacts — Montana Department of Justice, Gambling Control Division · Montana Department of Justice · regulator page · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
Fetched directly via gld.fetch.get (dojmt.gov returns 403 to plain httpx clients but is reachable with a Chrome TLS fingerprint). Supersedes tribal-compacts-secondary, which had relied on a search-result summary and mistakenly carried forward the CSKT compact as "deemed approved by federal default" rather than DOI-approved.
“In September 2025, the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes and the State of Montana signed a new Class III gaming compact, which was approved by the U.S. Department of Interior on January 26, 2026... The compact also allows for sports wagering, where the State and Tribes have concurrent jurisdiction...”
HB 725 (2019) — Allow sports wagering through the state lottery · Montana Free Press (legislative bill tracker) · secondary · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
Bill-tracker page reproducing the Montana Legislature's official action log for HB 725; shows "Transmitted to Governor" 4/25/19, "Signed by Governor" 5/3/19, and "Chapter Number Assigned" the same day (Ch. 284, L. 2019, per the MCA compiler's history notes to §§ 23-7-102/-104). Corroborated by contemporaneous news coverage (krtv.com, kpax.com, missoulacurrent.com) reporting Gov. Bullock signed the bill "Friday" (May 3, 2019). The official leg.mt.gov/bills.legmt.gov bill-status page could not be fetched directly (dynamic JS app with no server-rendered content; legacy CGI status-query URL now redirects to that same app), so this tracker is used as the best available record of the official action date.
“Signed by Governor | 5/3/19 | Governor”
Montana becomes the first state to officially ban sweepstakes casinos · CasinoBeats · secondary · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
“online casinos, by whatever name known, which constitute internet gambling and therefore are prohibited”
Video Gambling Tax (Legislative Fiscal Division profile) · Montana Legislative Fiscal Division · government other · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
PDF fetched directly via gld.fetch.get; profile text itself is "updated through June 2014" (dollar figures dated, distribution mechanics not found contradicted by any later source).
“Video – All of video gambling tax receipts are deposited into the general fund. Bingo/Keno – All collections are statutorily appropriated for distribution to the municipality or county in which the game is located... $100 of the live card game table fee and $100 of the video gambling machine permit fee (prorated basis) are statutorily appropriated for distribution to local governments.”
Montana Lottery celebrates 35th anniversary · Public Gaming International · secondary · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
secondary source only.
Mont. Code Ann. § 23-7-101 — Short title · Montana Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
“may be cited as the "Montana State Lottery Act of 1985 and Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment of 2019"”
Mont. Code Ann. § 23-7-102 — Purpose · Montana Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
States the chapter must comply with Mont. Const. art. III, § 9 (gambling prohibited unless authorized by the legislature or by the people through initiative or referendum) and must be strictly construed to allow only games within the chapter's scope.
Montana Lottery — official site · Montana Lottery · regulator page · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
Fetched directly; site links only to a mobile scanning app (App Store / Google Play) and a retail store locator, with no online ticket-purchase flow found.
Montana 1 of 5 States to Prohibit Online Sports Gaming · Flathead Beacon · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
secondary source only; dated 2015, current status of the HB 181 exemption bill not confirmed.
Mont. Code Ann. §23-5-610 — Video gambling machine gross income tax · Montana Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
“A licensed machine owner shall pay to the department a video gambling machine tax of 15% of the aggregate gross income.”
Mont. Code Ann. §23-4-110 — Historical horseracing — rulemaking · Montana Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
“Nothing in this section may be construed to allow the board of horseracing to offer historical horseracing.”
SB 189 (2021) — historical horseracing machines · Montana Legislature · bill · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
secondary/search-summary source; final floor-vote and gubernatorial action not confirmed.
Kalshi sues Montana · Missoula Current · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
secondary source only; corroborated by sportsbettingdime.com and publicgaming.com coverage of the same timeline.
Ninth Circuit Rules Against Kalshi, Backs Nevada Gambling Law · Gambling.com · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
Same Ninth Circuit ruling (KalshiEX, LLC v. Assad, No. 25-7516, Aug. 28, 2026) cited in NV.yaml; included here only to record that Montana, like Nevada, sits in the Ninth Circuit and is bound by this precedent on the sports-contract preemption question.
Gambling Statutes and Rules (MCA Title 23, ch. 5 & 6 compilation) · Montana Department of Justice, Gambling Control Division · government other · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
“23-6-104. Amusement games allowed... (xiv) Other coin- or token-operated games of skill...dispenses tokens or tickets based on the player's skill in operating the device. Games authorized under this subsection are limited to those involving a substantial degree of skill.”
Subchapter 23.16.12 — Poker and Other Card Games (Administrative Rules of Montana) · Cornell LII (mirroring Mont. Admin. R.) · secondary · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
secondary mirror of the administrative rules; statutory citations (§§23-5-306, -308, -309) corroborated via Montana Legislature search snippets.
Montana Online Lottery · BettingUSA · secondary · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
Secondary source only; summarizes a November 2022 Montana Department of Administration legal opinion permitting lottery courier apps under conditions (face-value sales, licensed-retailer ticket purchase, in-state adult customers), and names Jackpocket and Mido Lotto as licensed courier apps in Montana.
Admin. R. Mont. 2.63.608 · Montana Secretary of State (via Justia regulations mirror) · regulation · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
Fetch returned HTTP 403; citation identified via search result only, not a verbatim excerpt.
SB 183 (2019) enrolled bill text · Montana Legislature · bill · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
cited via search summary of the enrolled text defining ADW and parimutuel facility/network terms; not independently opened in full.
Gambling Statutes and Rules · Montana Department of Justice, Gambling Control Division · government other · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
PDF fetched directly via gld.fetch.get and reviewed for the Amusement Games Act (Title 23, ch. 6) and related gambling-device provisions (see mt-gambling-statutes-pdf, same document).
Games — Montana Lottery · Montana Lottery · regulator page · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
Fetched directly. Lists multistate games Powerball (with Powerball Double Play), Mega Millions, Lotto America, and Millionaire for Life; in-state games Montana Cash, Big Sky Bonus, and Montana Millionaire; plus Scratch Games and Treasure Play. Does not list Lucky for Life or Cash4Life.
Mont. Code Ann. § 23-7-402 — Disposition of revenue · Montana Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
Subsection (3)(b): net revenue above $2.25 million in each fiscal year must be transferred to the state general fund.
“the first $2.25 million of net revenue in each fiscal year must be transferred quarterly in equal payments of $562,500”
Mont. Code Ann. § 23-5-158 — Minors not to participate — penalty — exception · Montana Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
“a person may not purposely or knowingly allow a person under 18 years of age [to participate in a gambling activity]... A person under 18 years of age may sell or buy tickets for or receive prizes from a raffle”
Mont. Code Ann. § 23-7-302 — Sales restrictions · Montana Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
“Tickets, chances, wagers, or bets may not be sold to or purchased by persons under 18 years of age.”
Mont. Code Ann. § 23-4-101 — Definitions · Montana Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
“"Minor" means a person under 18 years of age.”
Mont. Admin. R. 8.22.3913 — Unlawful activity · Cornell LII (mirroring Mont. Admin. R.) · regulation · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
“As set forth in 23-4-301, MCA, it is unlawful to permit a minor to use the parimutuel system.”
Montana's Exclusive Sportsbook · Montana Lottery (Sports Bet Montana / Intralot) · regulator page · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
“Must be 18 years of age or older to play.”
Montana Lottery keeping college player props · CDC Gaming · press · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
“it is not in our immediate plans to discontinue college player prop markets offered through our sportsbooks”
Montana bet big on the Griz · Missoula Current · press · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
“the most ever wagered through Sports Bet Montana during a Griz game, including games against rival Montana State University”
Credit Gambling (Gambling Control Division guidance) · Montana Department of Justice, Gambling Control Division · regulator page · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
PDF itself is marked "Rev. 5.2025" though hosted at a filename dated 5.2022.
“Consideration (or cost) for the chance to play in all other gambling activities must be made in cash. A debit card may not be held as collateral for gambling activities. A check or debit card with pin (not a credit card) may be used to obtain cash to participate in a gambling activity.”
Sport betting is now available in Montana · KTVH · press · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
Launch-era (2020) coverage; also quotes a Lottery spokesperson on the licensed-location requirement and geo-beacon geofencing.
“create an account, which can be done on the Sports Bet Montana website”
Mont. Code Ann. § 23-7-104 — Authorization of sports wagering · Montana Legislature · statute · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
“the operation of sports wagering and ancillary activities are lawful activities in the state of Montana when conducted in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and rules of the commission”
SportsBetMT Handout (Montana Lottery presentation to the Economic Affairs Interim Committee) · Montana Lottery / Montana Legislature Economic Affairs Interim Committee · regulator report · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
Identified via WebSearch summary of this March 10, 2026 committee handout; not independently re-fetched for a verbatim excerpt this session. Reports a current 3% retailer commission on gross sales, 568 licensed locations, FY2025 sales/return figures, and lifetime totals through CY2025.
Intralot welcomes launch of Sports Bet Montana · SBC Americas · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
“Intralot has deployed its Orion sports betting platform in Montana”
Intralot Inc. Signs Contract with Montana Lottery to Deliver Next-Generation Lottery Technology · Intralot · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
“a seven-year agreement, with three additional one-year extension options”
Order to Cease and Desist Illegal Gambling Activities in Montana · Montana Department of Justice, Gambling Control Division · government other · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
“The GCD thus has probable cause to conclude that Kalshi's offering of "event contracts" constitutes illegal gambling and illegal sports wagering pursuant to Montana law.”
NIGC FY 2025 Gross Gaming Revenue Report · National Indian Gaming Commission · regulator report · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
“FY 2025’s GGR of $46.2 billion marks the highest ever GGR for the Indian gaming industry.”
Flathead Indian Reservation · Wikipedia · secondary · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
“Gray Wolf Peak casino in the south of the reservation between Arlee and Evaro, KwaTaqNuk ("where the water leaves the lake") resort and casino in Polson”
Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation · Wikipedia · secondary · retrieved Oct 11, 2026
“The Chippewa Cree tribe operates the Northern Winz Casino. Construction began in May 2006, with the tribal grand opening occurring in February 2007, and a public grand opening March 30, 2007.”