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 10, 2026 · 23 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. 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 whose practical effect (any CSKT-run sportsbook) was not yet reported as of this file's as_of date. 2019 Mont. Laws (HB 725) [1],[2],[3] |
| 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. 2019 Mont. Laws (HB 725, Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act) [1],[2] |
| 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) [4] | |
| Online poker | Prohibited | Covered by Montana's general internet-gambling ban; no licensing framework for online peer-to-peer poker exists. Live poker is permitted only at licensed on-premises card tables (see card_rooms). Mont. Code Ann. §23-5-112 [4] | ||
| 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 [5] | ||
| 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); first ticket sold June 24, 1987. Offers Powerball, Mega Millions (since 2010), Lotto America, and in-state draw/scratch games.[6] |
| 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.[7] | ||
| 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 was not confirmed in this research. Mont. Code Ann. §23-5-112 [8] | ||
| VGTs / VLTs | Live | Legalized 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. [9],[5] |
| 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 was not confirmed in this research. Mont. Code Ann. §23-4-110 (2019, terminated 2021-06-30) [10],[11] | ||
| 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) [4] | |
| Prediction markets | Contested | Montana sits in the Ninth Circuit. Gambling Control Division sent Kalshi a cease-and-desist (~March 2025); the parties agreed in April 2025 to pause enforcement pending Nevada federal litigation; that Nevada injunction was dissolved in November 2025 and the Ninth Circuit affirmed against Kalshi in KalshiEX, LLC v. Assad, No. 25-7516 (9th Cir. Aug. 28, 2026) (holding sports-event contracts are not CFTC-preempted swaps); on April 6, 2026 (before the Ninth Circuit's ruling) the Division issued an order finding Kalshi's event contracts constitute illegal gambling and threatening criminal action, prompting Kalshi to sue AG Austin Knudsen and Division officials in the U.S. District Court for Montana seeking injunctive/declaratory relief on federal preemption grounds. The Ninth Circuit's Assad ruling is binding Ninth Circuit precedent favoring Montana's position on the sports-contract preemption question, though its direct effect on Kalshi's separate Montana suit was not independently confirmed in this pass.[12],[13] | ||
| 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) [14] | ||
| 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 [15] | |
| Lottery couriers | Live | Competitive | A November 2022 Montana Department of Administration legal opinion concluded that third-party lottery courier apps may operate if they sell tickets at face value, buy 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 reported as the two courier apps licensed to operate in Montana. Admin. R. Mont. 2.63.608 addresses courier/ticket delivery service conditions. Page not fetched for the rule (403 on fetch); confirmed via search-result summary rather than a verbatim excerpt. Separately, the Montana Lottery is pursuing rules (as of a Dec. 2025 supplemental notice) to limit bulk ticket purchases after a May 2025 Montana Cash bulk-buy incident; that effort targets purchase volume, not couriers per se.[16],[17] | |
| Pick'em fantasy | Prohibited | Treated the same as peer-to-peer DFS under the internet-gambling ban; no operator confirmed active in Montana.[8] | ||
| 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 [18] | |
| 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 [18] | |
| Charitable gaming | Live | Monopoly State | Bingo, raffles, and calcutta pools are licensed by the Gambling Control Division alongside VGM and card-table gaming; not independently verified beyond the Division's general gambling-statutes compilation. Mont. Code Ann. Title 23, ch. 5 [14] | |
| 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.[4] | ||
| 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) [4] |
Sports betting in Montana: status, tax rate, sportsbooks and bills →
Tax rates
| Vertical | Channel | Rate | Base | Tier | 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 Effective date approximate; set to the Gambling Control Division's founding statutory framework (Title 23, ch. 5, MCA) rather than an independently confirmed enactment date for §23-5-177 specifically. [15] | |
| 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)[19] | |
| Sports (retail) | retail | Not a tax on a private operator: Sports Bet Montana is a Montana Lottery product (HB 725, 2019 Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act), so wagering proceeds are state lottery revenue, not a GGR tax. Licensed host locations (taverns/casinos) that place terminals/kiosks currently receive a 3% commission on gross sales placed at their location (per the Montana Lottery's March 2026 presentation to the legislature's Economic Affairs Interim Committee); this replaced an earlier reported 6% retailer-commission figure discussed during the 2019-2021 rulemaking process. The remainder flows to the State Lottery Fund. | OTHER | No | May 2020 | 2019 Mont. Laws (HB 725, Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act) FY2025 Lottery figures: $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. [19] | |
| 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. [9] |
Rules and requirements
Casinos
- Number of federally recognized tribes with Class III compacts
- 6Fort 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.Secondary source only.[4],[12]
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.[12]
Sweepstakes
Tax revenue
- Where gaming tax revenue goes (education fund
- Lottery profits originally reduced property taxes; since the 1990s, Lottery revenue has gone to the Montana General Fund. Corrected from an earlier research pass: per the Legislative Fiscal Division's own Video Gambling Tax revenue-source profile, ALL video gambling tax (15% of gross income) receipts go to the state General Fund, not a state/local split; it is the separate Bingo/Keno tax (1% of gross proceeds) whose collections are statutorily appropriated to the municipality/county where the game is located, and $100 of the live-card-table and video-machine PERMIT fees (not the tax itself) that is distributed to local governments.Fiscal Division profile is dated \"updated through June 2014\"; distribution mechanics were not found contradicted by any later source, but the specific dollar figures in that profile are outdated.[6],[5]
Revenue
Tax revenueMonthly · VGTs / VLTs
Monthly3-month average
$10.0M$20.0M$30.0M20182020202220242026$22.3M
| Vertical | Measure | 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VGTs / VLTs | Tax paid | $44.0M | $83.8M | $84.0M | $82.0M | $78.0M | $79.5M | $59.1M | $63.7M |
Revenue report sources (34)
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY18 Q3
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY18 Q4
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY19 Q1
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY19 Q2
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY19 Q3
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY19 Q4
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY20 Q1
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY20 Q2
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY20 Q3
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY20 Q4
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY21 Q1
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY21 Q2
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY21 Q3
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY21 Q4
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY22 Q1
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY22 Q2
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY22 Q3
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY22 Q4
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY23 Q1
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY23 Q2
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY23 Q3
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY23 Q4
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY24 Q1
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY24 Q2
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY24 Q3
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY24 Q4
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY25 Q1
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY25 Q2
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY25 Q3
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY25 Q4
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY26 Q1
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY26 Q2
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY26 Q3
- Montana Gambling Control Division, Quarterly Information Summary, FY26 Q4
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[20] |
| Intralot | Sports Bet Montana | Sports (retail) | Sole Montana Lottery sports-wagering technology/operations provider | active | May 2020 | Montana Lottery[20],[21] |
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.[22] |
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.[23]
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
$50.0M$100M$150MFY2013FY2016FY2019FY2022FY2025$88.4M
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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | $88.4M | $0 | 1.83% |
| FY2024 | $88.0M | $0 | 1.87% |
| FY2023 | $84.8M | $0 | 1.80% |
| FY2022 | $128M | $169K | 2.76% |
| FY2021 | $121M | $104K | 3.13% |
| FY2020 | $62.1M | $117K | 1.96% |
| FY2019 | $67.8M | $209K | 2.15% |
| FY2018 | $65.0M | $226K | 2.17% |
| FY2017 | $64.6M | $179K | 2.37% |
| FY2016 | $68.0M | $44.0K | 2.59% |
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 marketsDivision rules Kalshi's event contracts are illegal gambling and threatens criminal charges; Kalshi sues in federal court[12]
- Oct 1, 2025 · Prohibited · Sweepstakes casinosSB 555's expanded internet-gambling ban takes effect[4]
- May 23, 2025 · Prohibited · Online casinoGov. Gianforte signs SB 555, banning online casinos and dual-currency sweepstakes platforms under the internet-gambling law[4]
- Mar 2025 · Cease And Desist · Prediction marketsGambling Control Division sends Kalshi a cease-and-desist letter[12]
- May 2020 · Launched · Sports (online)Sports Bet Montana launches with GeoComply on-premises geofencing and Intralot technology[2]
- 2019 · Legalized · Sports (online)Gov. Bullock signs HB 725, making Montana Lottery the sole sports-wagering operator[1]
- Jun 24, 1987 · Launched · LotteryMontana Lottery sells its first ticket[6]
- 1987 · Legalized · VGTs / VLTsVideo Gambling Machine Control Law enacted, setting the 15% VGM tax[9]Ch. 603, L. 1987
- Nov 4, 1986 · Legalized · LotteryVoters approve Legislative Referendum 100, creating the Montana Lottery[6]
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
- State-Tribal Gaming Compacts — Montana Department of Justice, Gambling Control Division · Montana Department of Justice · regulator page · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
“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...”
- 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
“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
- Montana Lottery — official site · Montana Lottery · regulator page · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
- Montana 1 of 5 States to Prohibit Online Sports Gaming · Flathead Beacon · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
- 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
- Kalshi sues Montana · Missoula Current · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
- Ninth Circuit Rules Against Kalshi, Backs Nevada Gambling Law · Gambling.com · press · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
- 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
- Montana Online Lottery · BettingUSA · secondary · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
- Admin. R. Mont. 2.63.608 · Montana Secretary of State (via Justia regulations mirror) · regulation · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
- SB 183 (2019) enrolled bill text · Montana Legislature · bill · retrieved Oct 10, 2026
- 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
- 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.”