StateReg.Reference
Sports betting
Montana

Sports Betting Laws in Montana: What's Legal in 2026

Montana sports betting is legal but tightly restricted to the state lottery app. Learn the rules, where to bet, recent law changes, and who regulates it.

By Steven Cooper · Founder & Editor
Verified June 7, 20267 statute sources
AI-drafted, human-reviewed

How we build these guides

Sourcing

Adapters pull primary data from the FAA, IRS, OpenStates, DSIRE, NORML, PubMed, Census/BLS/FRED, Google Civic, and Data.gov.

Generation pipeline

Multi-stage AI pipeline: structural outline → long-form draft → cross-family fact-check editor → readability polish → FAQ enrichment. Each stage uses a different model family so factual drift is caught before publish.

Quality gates

Soft gates on word count, citation count, and banned-phrase screening; hard blocks if required sections are missing.

Verification cadence

Pages are re-verified quarterly. verified_at updates on every pass.

Not legal advice. Consult an attorney or CPA for binding guidance.

MontanaSports betting
#22 of 50·7 state statutes cited·Above median

Quick Answer: Is Sports Betting Legal in Montana?

Yes, sports betting is legal in Montana, but its structure is unique. The Montana Sports Wagering Act (MCA § 23-5-802 et seq.), passed in 2019 via SB 330, legalized sports betting. The SportsBet Montana app, launched in March 2020, is the state's only legal platform.

Key aspects of Montana's model include:

  • Exclusive State Operator. The Montana Lottery exclusively operates sports betting. No private commercial sportsbook, such as DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, or Caesars, holds a license to accept Montana sports wagers.
  • No Remote Wagering. The app uses geofencing. Bettors must be physically inside a licensed Montana retailer—typically a bar, casino, or other establishment with a qualifying lottery license—to place a bet.
  • Minimum age is 18. The minimum age for sports wagering is 18, as established by the Montana Sports Wagering Act (MCA § 23-5-802 et seq.).
  • Daily fantasy sports (DFS) operate under a separate legal framework. DraftKings and FanDuel accept Montana players.
Sources & Verification (7)
  • Revise fantasy sports laws
  • Revise laws relating to the state lottery and review authority
  • Revise gambling laws
  • Generally revise gambling laws
  • Generally revise alcohol and gaming laws
  • Revise lottery proceeds laws to dedicate to education funding
  • Allow antique gambling to be used for living history events and casino nights for fundraising purposes

Last verified: June 7, 2026

Editorial process: See methodology →

How we verify: 9 source adapters (FAA, DSIRE, IRS, OpenStates, etc.) → AI draft → AI editor → AI polish → spot human review.

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