Gambling Laws in Montana

On the whole, Montana is fairly relaxed about land-based gambling, but online gambling is strictly prohibited. There are both commercial casinos and tribal casinos on offer to residents and visitors, located all across the state. Many of these are able to accept sports bets from players who are on the premises. However, all online sports and casino gambling is currently illegal. This includes a complete ban on daily fantasy sports.

The state also permits poker, keno, raffles and some other games to be run by schools, churches and charitable organizations as long as these games are not organized for profit. In line with this view on charitable gambling, the state runs a lottery that funds are used as equalization aid for various public-school districts. Read on to find out more about all the different Montana gambling laws.

Montana Sports Betting

While sports betting is legal and can be offered by licensed land-based establishments, all Montana online sports betting is illegal. There are no bills currently proposed that would bring about legalization. So, currently, the only way to place sports bets in MT legally is to do so at a licensed casino that accepts such wagers. If you are curisous and eager to learn more, you can take a look at the Montana sports betting guide crafted especially for you!

Montana Daily Fantasy Sports

Montana is one of five states that has explicitly banned or outlawed daily fantasy sports, along with Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana and Nevada. There are different reasons for doing so, but in Montana, it is clear that the government views paid fantasy sports as online gambling, which therefore should not circumvent the existing bans on internet betting. Read the full Montana daily fantasy betting review if you want to find out more details about the legeal situation with DFS in the state.

Montana Online Casinos

The situation for casinos in Montana is the same as for sports betting. While land-based casinos are able to gain licenses from the Montana DOJ, at the moment, all bets made on the internet in Montana are illegal. Therefore, you should not trust any site that says you can legally and safely play at a remote gaming establishment in Montana. If you’d like to find out more about the land based venues in the state and the legislative changes that may be happening there, take a quick look at our Montana casino guide.

Montana Online Poker

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, poker is permitted in land-based casinos and at charitable events, but online gambling, including poker, is illegal in Montana. There are no exceptions to this law, and there seems to be no political will in the state to change this.

Montana Lottery

In 1986, Montanans voted to approve the official state lottery. This has been funding public education in the state ever since and has raised over $259 million so far. Unfortunately, you can’t buy tickets online but must go into an approved retailer in order to play the scratch cards or main prize draw. For more information, head over to the Montana Lottery website. Furthermore, you can also check our dedicated Montana lottery page with more insights on online lottery

History of Gambling in Montana

There have been a number of changes to Montana gambling law during the century or so since it joined the union as a full state. From the complete prohibition of betting through to the legalization and spread of large casinos, track all the biggest historical developments below.

Montana State Facts

Big Sky Country, The Treasure State; call it what you want, Montana is one of the nation’s most beautiful and unique states. Dominated by nature, MT is one of the least densely populated areas of the country. Along with its one million human residents, it is home to the largest migratory elk herd and the largest breeding population of trumpeter swans in America. Below, you can see some facts about Montana, as well as follow links to some useful websites.

Gambling Age in Montana

In order to gamble in a commercial or tribal casino in Montana, you must be over 18. You must also be at least 18 in order to purchase a ticket for the Montana Lottery. There is currently no minimum age for playing charitable gambling games, as long as they are carried out in a church, school or on the premises of a charity.

• Online Gambling Age:
  You must be at least 18 years old to gamble in Montana.
• Alcohol Age
  As with the rest America, you must be 21+ to drink alcohol.
• Weed Age
  Recreational marijuana is illegal but medical use is permitted.

Responsible Gambling and Addiction Prevention

If you think that your gambling habits are becoming a problem, then it is always best to look for help. In Montana, support and guidance is provided by the Gambling Control Division of the Montana DOJ or from the Montana Council on Problem Gambling. There are options for self-exclusion as well as treatment for gambling addiction.

Upcoming Regulation and Expected Changes

While there are no gambling bills waiting to be debated in the State Senate, legislation changes can go through quickly, so it is always worth checking to see if there have been any changes made to the legal situation concerning gambling in the US. We will make sure that this page is kept up to date with all changes in the legislation.

• Idaho
• North Dakota
• South Dakota
• Wyoming