Montana Betting Sites
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 illegal.
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. After PASPA was repealed in 2018 the state was able to expand its betting options to include traditional, single-game wagers on a wide variety of sports.
Lawmakers later approved two separate sports betting bills.
First, there was SB 330 which would have allowed tavern owners to apply for permits to host sports betting kiosks managed by various operators and permit 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.
HB725 sought to grant a monopoly to the state lottery, and allow the lottery to leverage its existing VGM infrastructure to offer sports betting throughout the state.
Like SB 330, HB 725 allows bars and restaurants to install sports betting kiosks managed by the lottery and allows mobile wagering for customers located within range of a betting terminal.
Some state representatives recommended Governor Bullock sign both bills 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.
Ultimately, Governor Bullock chose to sign HB 725 into law and veto SB 330, giving the state lottery a monopoly over sports betting in 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
Daily fantasy sports is not legal in Montana.
In fact, state law considers fantasy sports games to be illegal gambling and all reputable daily fantasy sports sites restrict residents from Montana from participating in real-money fantasy sports contests.
Montana Prediction Markets
Prediction market apps are available in Montana, but their legal status is unsettled.
In March 2025, Montana's Gambling Control Division sent a cease-and-desist letter to Kalshi for allegedly violating the state's gambling laws. After initially agreeing to pause its enforcement efforts, the state sent a second cease-and-desist in April 2026. Kalshi responded by filing suit against the state, contending that federal derivatives law takes precedence over state gambling laws regarding event contracts.
In September 2026, Kalshi and Montana reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit and pause enforcement efforts while Kalshi's Nevada case plays out in the Ninth Circuit (which covers Montana). If Kalshi loses its Ninth Circuit bid, Montana officials may resume their enforcement efforts after giving Kalshi 30 days' written notice.
What this all means for Montanans: sports prediction markets are still available in Montana, but that could change if the Ninth Circuit rules against Kalshi.
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.
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 several states prohibiting daily fantasy sports sites
- was the first state to pass legislation specifically banning sweepstakes casinos, effective October 1st, 2025
Per MT Code § 23-5-802, “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.
Montana banned sweepstakes gambling sites in 2025 via SB 555. The bill does not use the word "sweepstakes," but its definition indicates lawmakers had sweepstakes casinos in mind. Specifically, the bill prohibits:
"Online casinos, by whatever name known, which constitute internet gambling and therefore are prohibited. This includes but is not limited to any platform, website, or application that knowingly transmits or receives gambling information, allows consumers to place a bet or wager using any form of currency, and makes payouts of any form of currency."
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 services offer a way for players to buy Montana Lottery tickets online from anywhere within state lines.
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.
Responsible Gambling in Montana
Montana sports betting laws require the state lottery to promote responsible gambling, but support isn’t limited to sports wagering.
If gambling or sports betting is causing stress, debt, relationship problems, or you’re finding it hard to stop, getting help early is always easier than waiting for things to escalate.
Montana also has an in-state nonprofit resource hub that provides referrals and a 24-hour helpline.
- Montana Council on Problem Gambling: Call the 24-hour helpline at 888-900-9979 or visit the website for statewide resources, local treatment providers, and support for anyone concerned about a loved one’s gambling habits.
- NCPG Montana: Call the national helpline at 1-800-522-4700, text 800GAM, or chat online for support and local referrals. Visit the NCPG MT website for an up-to-date list of problem gambling resources.
- Gamblers Anonymous Montana: Visit the official GA website for meetings in Billings, Helena, Kalispell, and other towns across Montana.
Montana Sports Betting Self-Exclusion
Montana’s sports betting regulations require the state lottery to support provide responsible gambling capabilities in users’ sports wagering accounts, including custom deposit/loss limits and self-exclusion options.
- Sports Bet Montana Exclusion: As the only legal sports betting app in the state, Sports Bet Montana (operated by the Montana Lottery) allows users to set daily, weekly, or monthly deposit limits or initiate a full self-exclusion through the app's account settings.
- Self-Exclusion from MT Casinos: Gamblers must contact each casino property individually to self-exclude. Unfortunately, Montana does not offer a statewide casino self-exclusion program.
- Video Gambling Machines: Montana does not maintain a centralized self-exclusion database from the many video gambling machines that operate across the state.
Montana Sports Betting FAQ
Wes Burns has more than a decade's worth of experience as a writer, researcher and analyst in the legal gambling industry and is co-founder of BettingUSA.com. As a former professional online poker player, Wes approaches his work from the viewpoint of players.