Montana

Montana Online Gambling & Sportsbooks in 2022

As of 2022, legal online sports betting is available in Montana but with some restrictions – sports betting was launched through the Montana Lottery and betting options are only available through the single platform, Intralot, with change looking unlikely in the near future.

As such it will come as no surprise that there are currently no legal online casinos nor any legal online gambling for Montana residents.

Casino	Deposit Bonus	Get Started
	250% up to $1000	Play Now
	350% up to $2500	Play Now
	600% up to $6000	Play Now

Best New Casinos in Montana

Gambling in Montana is a popular pastime, so it’s not surprising that players would look to online casinos for their favorite online slots, video poker, casino games, et cetera. The best new casinos in Montana, including the ones below, accept cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Litecoin, etc.) or US dollars using a credit card or other payment method.

Each of these online casinos offers exceptional new player casinos bonuses, fair bonus terms & conditions, faster cashouts with higher limits, and more.

Americans are fond of online slot machines and table games, which is why they’ll find games from popular developers: Realtime Gaming, Rival Games, Betsoft, ViG, Bodog, and others. Some of the best online casinos even offer live dealer games like live blackjack, live Hold’em, live roulette, et cetera.

Players from Montana are no different than other Americans. They’re also looking for USD/Bitcoin casinos that offer Comp Points, loyalty rewards, tournaments, and other perks. These provide a little extra kick when playing at an online casino, which is why people seek offshore sites in this state that won’t license online casinos.

Each casino listed below is different, with unique reasons for why you would want to play there. Find out what these are by reading the accompanying casino review.

Best Bonuses in Montana Casinos

It takes a lot to be designated one of the best bonuses in Montana casinos, so we don’t use the label lightly. For example, we consider the size of the match deposit bonus at online casinos and the number of free spins (including the applicable slots). Some of these bonuses may even apply to select casino table games.

Regardless, it’s important to determine whether the bonus T&Cs and playthrough wagering requirements on online casino games are fair. Fair bonus T&Cs provide the best opportunity to have some winnings that you can cash out or use to continue playing.

Have a look through our list of the best bonuses below.

Montana Gambling Overview

Gambling in Montana is big business with more than 1,400 licensed gambling operators and over 16,000 video gambling machines.

Montana was the first to legalize keno and video gambling machines (card games including poker) in bars. Fantasy sports and sports betting are only permitted when run by Montana’s Lottery.

The term ‘casino’ is a loose term in Montana that refers to any establishment with up to 20 licensed video gambling machines. Tribal casinos are also available in the state. Interestingly, table games, including blackjack, craps, and roulette, are not legal in the state, although Bingo games are.

Gambling in Montana is regulated by the Gambling Control Division, except for the state lottery and pari-mutuel horse racing. It is the body chosen to regulate online gambling as well as a majority of sports betting.

Lottery

The Montana Lottery started with scratch tickets, followed by state draws such as Montana Millionaire and multistate draws like Powerball and Mega Millions. Tickets are sold through over 1,000 authorized retailers in the state but cannot be purchased online. The state lottery also offers fantasy sports wagering and sports wagering. Sports Bet Montana provides an iOS and Android app for sports betting.

Charitable Gaming

Montana nonprofit activities include casino nights, raffles, Calcutta auctions, poker runs, and raffles falling under the Department of Justice. Senior citizens are exempted from requiring a gambling license. Registered nonprofits are permitted to sell raffle tickets online.

Pari-Mutuel Racing

Horseracing can trace its origins back to the 1800s. Montana law allows live racing and pari-mutuel wagering at licensed racetracks supervised by the Board of Horse Racing. Until the beginning of 2021, simulcast racing was also available.

Advance deposit wagering over a computer and mobile is also permitted, contributing to the decline and end to simulcast racing when the only operator pulled out. In truth, horse racing has been in decline in Montana since the 1985 Video Poker Machine Act. In recent years, an attempt to introduce sports betting and historical horse betting at pari-mutuel facilities to revive its fortunes failed.

Fantasy Sports

Fantasy sports, such as fantasy football and fantasy pari-mutuel race betting, are prohibited in Montana except by the Montana Lottery. According to the Montana Code, wagering by telephone or Internet is not allowed making operators like FanDuel and DraftKings illegal in the state.

Sports Betting

Lottery-run sports betting and single sports betting are legal in Montana, found at the larger casinos and lottery kiosks at many bars, taverns, and gas stations. Sports pools are also permitted at bars and pubs through terminals installed by the Lottery Commission.

Land-Based Casinos

Montana has seven reservations, of which five have signed compacts with the state allowing them to offer class III gambling. These casinos provide hundreds of slots and video gaming machines.

Native Tribal Casinos	Address	Website
Silverwolf Casino	300 Montana 25 – Wolf Point, MT 59201	facebook.com/SilverWolfCasino/
Glacier Peaks Hotel & Casino	46 Museum Loop – Browning, MT 59417	glacierpeakscasino.com
Glacier Little Peaks Casino	601 SE Boundry St -Browning, MT 59417	glacierpeakscasino.com
Northern Winz Hotel and Casino	11031 US Highway 87 – Box Elder, MT 59521	facebook.com/NorthernWinzHotelCasino/
Gray Wolf Peak Casino	27050 US Hwy 93 N – Missoula, MT 59808	graywolfpeakcasino.com
KwaTaqNuk Resort Casino	49708 US Hwy 93 East – Polson, MT 59860	kwataqnuk.com
Charging Horse Casino	1/2 Mile East On US Hwy 212 – Lame Deer, MT 59043	facebook.com/pages/category/Casino/Charging-Horse-Casino-189169128492265/

Montana Casinos Map

 

 

Montana Gambling History

The Montana Constitution of 1889 prohibited all forms of gambling. However, this did not stop gambling holds from sprouting up across the state. Corruption pegged to lottery scandals led to a state charge against gambling. By 1933 pull tabs became prevalent, sold at bars that had opened after prohibition was repealed.

Four years later, in 1937, the Montana legislature passed the Hickey Act legalizing a number of table games based in different locations throughout the state but required licensing by the county.

Eight years later, in 1945, ‘trade stimulators’ (coin-operated slot machines) were authorized for nonprofit organizations. The Montana Supreme Court ruled slot machines and punch boards illegal in 1950. A subsequent attempt to legalize gambling was voted down with a convincing 4-1 margin.

It wasn’t until 1972 that voters approved a constitutional referendum that would give the Legislature the right to decide whether to allow gambling. A year later, it executed this right by passing legislation allowing bingo, raffles, card games, and the Sports Pool Act, with video keno (live bingo) joining in 1976.

In 1984, video poker machines were ruled illegal slot machines by the Montana Supreme Court. The following year, the Video Poker Machine Act was passed, allowing no more than five poker machines at any liquor establishment along with unlimited keno machines. This limit was raised to 20 video poker machines in 1991, where it has remained ever since.

In 1986, the Montana lottery was approved. By August 2008, the lottery started offering fantasy sports wagering, and in 2019, Montana passed a Bill allowing sports wagering.

Montana entered into compact negotiations with four Montana Indian tribes in 1994: Rocky Boy, Northern Cheyenne, Crow, and Fort Peck. Three compact talks were unsuccessful, while the fourth compact was voided by then-Gov Racicot claiming violations. It wasn’t until 1997 when interim compacts would be signed with the Kootenai and Confederated Salish Tribes. They would then enter into a five-year gaming compacts in 2001.

In 2003, a proposal to create ‘Destination Montana,’ a Las Vegas-style entertainment district in Butte, was rejected. Two years later, internet gambling was formally declared illegal under Montana online gambling laws

Fast forward to 2017, and HB 578 to legalize blackjack was defeated in the House. In December 2018, HB 475 authorizing pari-mutuel sports betting at pari-mutuel facilities under the Board of Horseracing was introduced by House Representative Brad Tschida. Although it passed the House in March 2019, it failed to pass the Senate and died. In that same year, SB 330, which would have implemented historical horse racing, was delayed.

In May 2019, single-game online sports betting through the lottery was legalized (HB 725) after being signed into law by Governor Steve Bullock. The same year, the Senate defeated HB 385, which proposed to legalize blackjack. A similar blackjack Bill in 1991 was also previously rejected, which doesn’t bode well for online casinos and individual casino games.

In December 2020, the Montana Board of Horse Racing’s simulcast partner ended the partnership, ending simulcast horse racing.

Montana Gambling FAQ

Does Montana have legal sports betting?

Online sports betting is legal in Montana. However, it can only be offered by the Montana Lottery, which has been trusted to regulate online gambling on sports.

Is fantasy sports legal in Montana?

Montana fantasy sports is not legal over the Internet or mobile. However, the Montana Lottery does offer limited fantasy sports.

Is pari-mutuel betting legal in Montana?

Montana pari-mutuel betting is permitted in the state.

Is online gambling legal in Montana?

No, online gambling in Montana is not permitted. There is sports betting, but legal online gambling remains out of reach, and real money online casinos aren’t expected to be made legal any time soon.

What is the legal gambling age in Montana?

The legal gambling age in Montana for most activities is 18 and over. The exception is charitable gaming, where are the legal gambling age begins at 16.

Conclusion

Although Montana law has now recognized many forms of gambling, interactive gaming is not one of them. If they don’t mind the trek, Montanans that live for Vegas-style casino games do have 7 tribal casinos. Depending on their proximity to particular neighboring states, these might represent alternatives. Understandably, this is not always practical, leading some internet gambling players to play at offshore online casinos, like the ones recommended above.

Since gambling laws are evolving, your options are changing with time. We invite you to revisit the Montana page periodically for updates.