Legal Montana Betting Sites

18+ and present in Montana. T&Cs apply. Gambling problem? Call 1-888-900-9979 or visit mtproblemgambling.org.

Other gambling options in Montana include casinos on tribal land, more than 1400 licensed operators who are authorized to host up to 20 video gambling machines (VGMs), licensed poker rooms, horse racing betting, and the state lottery.

The Gambling Control Division oversees the conduct of all gambling in Montana except horse racing betting and the state lottery.

Montana Sports Betting Overview

Montana sports betting was legalized in 2019 after Governor Steve Bullock signed into law a piece of legislation allowing the state lottery to install sports betting kiosks at licensed casinos, taverns, and restaurants. Additionally, sports bettors located inside those establishments may place wagers through their mobile devices. Statewide online sports betting in Montana remains strictly off-limits.

The Montana Lottery Commission approved sports betting regulations later that year and revealed the name of the sportsbook product: Sports Bet Montana.

The official Montana sports betting app allows bettors to register, deposit funds, and plan wagers, but fans may only place wagers when physically present at an establishment licensed to host self-serve sportsbook terminals. The Montana Lottery uses geolocation technology to ensure customers may only place wagers when present at authorized locations.

State law enforces a minimum age of 18 to bet on sports in Montana.

How Montana Legalized Sports Betting

The expansion of legal sports betting in Montana was not a first for the state. MT was one of the only states to receive an exemption from PASPA for a form of fantasy football offered by the lottery (more on that below under “Montana Lottery”). However, it was only after PASPA was repealed in 2018 that the state was able to expand its betting options to include traditional, single-game wagers on a wide variety of sports.

A report from Eilers & Krejcik Gaming published in 2017 placed Montana on the shortlist of 14 states most likely to legalize sports betting within two years of the Supreme Court overturning the federal law that prohibits sports betting.

That prediction proved to be spot-on as lawmakers approved two separate sports betting bills fewer than two years later. First, there was SB 330 which would have allowed tavern owners to apply for permits to host sports betting kiosks managed by various operators. This bill would have also permitted mobile sports betting for patrons physically present within a tavern.

Lawmakers also sent Governor Bullock HB 725 allowing the MT Lottery to operate sports betting terminals. This bill sought to grant a monopoly to the state lottery but would provide the advantage of allowing the lottery to leverage its existing VGM infrastructure to offer sports betting throughout the state.

Like SB 330, HB 725 takes an approach allowing bars and restaurants to install sports betting kiosks managed by the lottery. This bill too allows mobile wagering for customers located within range of a betting terminal.

Some state representatives recommended Governor Bullock sign both bills in order to create a competitive sports betting environment. If he signed both, machines operated by the lottery would have competed with those operated by tavern owners and the like.

Ultimately, Governor Bullock chose to sign HB 725 into law and veto SB 330. This decision has given the MT Lottery a monopoly over sports betting much to the chagrin of operators hoping to make an entrance into Montana. However, Governor Bullock did leave the door open to competition with this quote included in his veto letter:

“For the market to succeed, Montana needs to enter the sports wagering market conservatively – adopting only one of the two models now. If, in two years, the market can tolerate more entrants, then I fully expect the legislature will revisit whether a second model is prudent for our state.”

Montana Daily Fantasy Sports

Montana law considers fantasy sports games to be illegal gambling. As such, all reputable daily fantasy sports sites restrict residents from participating in real money fantasy sports in Montana. The state legislature has attempted to loosen Montana fantasy sports laws, but those efforts have failed. In addition, they would have authorized fantasy sports to a limited degree only.

Senate Bill 25 first introduced in December of 2016 would have eased the restrictions just enough to permit fantasy sports contests in Montana that meet several requirements:

• They last for the entire season (i.e. no daily fantasy contests)
• The buyin is no more than $35
• The games are played for minimal, non-monetary prizes such as t-shirts

Determining what sorts of prizes would be classified as “minimal” is a job the bill assigned to the Montana Department of Justice. Sadly, not even this bill was able to become law. It lasted a few months into 2017 before lawmakers allowed it to die without any further action.

What About Montana Fantasy Football?

The Montana Lottery offered fantasy football leagues in the past but discontinued them in 2021. Previously, fans could participate in weekly fantasy football leagues regulated by the Board of Horse Racing and managed by the state lottery for a chance to win real money prizes.

The Montana Lottery fantasy football games resembled DFS contests hosted by major fantasy sports sites except hosted in person. Fans could visit any Montana Lottery Sports Action retailer to request rosters and draft five offensive players and one team’s entire defense for that week. As fans’ chosen athletes racked up stats on the field, their lineups accumulated fantasy points to advance upward in the payout ladder.

Near the end of its run, the Montana fantasy football game issued first prizes with an average value of about $2,500 each week. However, the Montana Lottery and Board of Horse Racing agreed to discontinue fantasy football during a July 2021 meeting.

Montana Horse Racing Betting

Montana has a very small horse racing industry but authorizes parimutuel wagering during meets and through authorized online horse racing betting sites. Although it would be inaccurate to call Montana a major horse racing state, residents do have numerous options for wagering on races held in-state and across the nation.

Montana Online Horse Racing Betting

Horse racing betting was the only form of legal online betting in Montana until sports wagering was legalized in 2019. Most of the major horse racing betting apps accept customers from Montana and cover a wide range of race tracks in the US and abroad.

Montana is one of a few states to actively license online horse racing betting sites and advance deposit wagering apps. The Montana Board of Horse Racing authorizes advance deposit wagering operators (ADWs) and maintains a list of authorized operators on its website.

The most well-known online racebooks with ADW licenses in Montana include:

• AmWager
• TVG
• Caesars Racebook
• TwinSpires

Montana Online Gambling

Montana is one of the few states in the US with gaming laws that explicitly outlaw online gambling.

MT Code § 23-5-112 defines the term “internet gambling” using broad language and categorizes it as an “illegal gambling enterprise.”

Additionally, Montana is one of just a few states prohibiting daily fantasy sports sites and apps. MT Code § 23-5-802 states that “it is unlawful to wager on a fantasy sports league by telephone or internet.” Popular daily fantasy sports sites such as FanDuel and DraftKings do not accept real money customers from Montana as a result.

In summary, all forms of online gambling except pari-mutuel horse racing wagering are illegal in Montana. The state has never prosecuted anyone for placing bets online with unauthorized betting sites in Montana, but the law is clear on the fact that doing so is illegal outside of legal online racebooks.

However, Montana does allow online sports betting to a limited extent. Under a bill signed in 2019, patrons at bars and restaurants that host licensed sports betting terminals managed by the lottery may place wagers via mobile apps – but only while those patrons are physically present at those establishments.

Montana Online Lottery

The Montana Lottery does not sell tickets online or over the mail. However, third-party lottery courier Jackpocket offers a way for players to buy tickets from anywhere in Montana.

Montana online lottery players can get the Jackpocket app and then pick the games they wish to play. After receiving customers’ orders, Jackpocket purchases official Montana State Lottery tickets on their behalf. Jackpocket pays smaller wins directly to players’ accounts and arranges a safe way to transfer the winning ticket in the case of large wins.

The Montana Lottery also operates a standalone lottery app for iOS and Android that players can use to make selections for faster in-person purchases, scan tickets for winners, and follow the latest jackpots.

Montana Sports Betting FAQ