May 3, 2023, will be remembered in Montana as the day when this state made sports betting legal.
A year before, the US Supreme Court declared that there was no legal ground to keep this form of gambling banned.
The ban was lifted on the federal level, while the Supreme Court left the final decision to individual states.
It took a year for the Big Sky Country to pass laws making sports wagering legal. And even as of this moment, the job is not yet done.
MT sportsbooks are yet to start their operations, although that is expected to happen by the end of the year.
So, why does it take so much time for sports wagering to become a thing in this state? The main reason is that the state has many rules and regulations which need to be fulfilled first.
You can already horse bet in MT, although, Montana online casinos are a different story.
Sports Betting Rules in MT
According to the bill passed in May, the state’s lottery will have a monopoly over sports betting operations. What this means is that players will be able to bet only at the state-owned MT online sports betting site/app.
Apart from mobile/online betting, the state lottery will also be in control of physical sports betting kiosks.
Furthermore, the lottery will have the right to give affiliate licenses to bars and restaurants, enabling them to run sportsbook operations.
Sports betting isn’t the only form of gambling Montana Lottery will be in charge of. The lottery will also act as the managing body for many other gambling forms, including poker, bingo, keno, and so on.
The same goes for fantasy sports and similar gaming forms.
This state of affairs is going to remain for at least seven years, according to the recently-passed laws.
Mobile Sports Wagering from Montana Lottery
The bill signed by Governor Steve Bullock has made Montana Lottery the only sportsbook operator in the state. And such, the lottery has the right to run different forms of sports betting, including online and mobile betting.
The lottery is expected to launch its MT sports betting apps in the next few weeks.
Once that happens, the players from this state who are at least 18 years of age, will be able to place sports bets using their smartphones.
There are no other online MT sportsbooks apart from the one operated by the state lottery.
How to Sign Up at Online Sportsbooks
You’ll be able to bet on sports as soon as the Montana online sports wagering website and app are launched.
Once online sportsbooks are up and running, you will be able to create your account easily. The only condition is that you’re a Montana resident who’s at least 21 years old.
Signing up should not be too complicated, although you might be required to provide some proof of your identity.
Going by the experience from other states, you might be required to upload a copy of your ID or passport. Alternatively, you might even be required to create an online account in person at the lottery’s offices.
