Montana Sports Wagering Legalized Only Through State Lottery

The Montana Legislature created sports wagering authority in 2019 through Chapter 284, Laws of 2019, codified at Mont. Code Ann. Title 23, chapter 7. Section 23-7-104 states that sports wagering "and ancillary activities are lawful activities in the state of Montana when conducted in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and rules of the commission", meaning legality runs only through the state lottery structure, not through independently licensed sportsbooks. Section 23-7-103(7)(a) defines "sports wagering" broadly to cover single-game bets, teasers, parlays, over-under, money line, pools, exchange wagering, in-game wagering, and proposition bets, whether placed in person or over the internet through websites and mobile devices.

A five-member State Lottery and Sports Wagering Commission oversees the program under 23-7-201: members are appointed by the governor, must reside in Montana, and the panel must include at least one commissioner with five years of law enforcement experience, one Montana-licensed attorney, and one Montana-licensed CPA, each serving staggered four-year terms. Retail locations sell wagers as licensed sales agents under 23-7-301, and 23-7-302 sets the ground rules for every sale: bettors must be at least 18, and wagers may be purchased only with cash, check, or debit card, never credit. Section 23-7-306 bars anyone convicted of a felony or a gambling-related offense under federal or state law from serving as a commissioner, director, employee, or licensed sales agent, and requires fingerprint-based criminal history screening through the Montana Department of Justice and FBI. Because the program is a lottery-run monopoly rather than an open commercial market, sportsbook brands like DraftKings or FanDuel do not independently operate in Montana; wagering runs exclusively through Sports Bet Montana kiosks and terminals at licensed retailers.

Section 23-7-110 makes it a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $500, up to 6 months in county jail, or both, to knowingly or purposely sell tickets or wagers to a minor, misuse a sales agent license, or tamper with lottery or wagering equipment to influence an outcome. Selling sports wagers outside the licensed retailer system, or to anyone under 18, exposes a retailer or employee to the same penalty. A felony or gambling-related conviction permanently disqualifies a person from any commission, director, employee, or sales-agent role under 23-7-306.