Montana Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020

Introduction to Montana Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020

Montana slot machine casino gambling consists of eight tribal casinos with video games of skill (Class II) or games-of-chance (Class III) as well as video gaming machines (VGMs) at numerous bars and taverns

Theoretical return limits exist for Montana’s bars and taverns having video gaming machines (VGMs) but not for Montana’s tribal casinos. No actual return statistics are publicly available from either.

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This post continues my weekly State-By-State Slot Machine Casino Gambling Series, an online resource dedicated to guiding slot machine casino gambler to success. Now in its third year, each weekly post reviews slots gambling in a single U.S. state, territory, or federal district.

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Relevant Legal Statutes on Gambling in Montana*

The minimum legal gambling age in Montana does not depend upon the gambling activity:

• Land-Based Casinos: 18
• Poker Rooms: 18
• Bingo: 18
• Lottery: 18
• Pari-Mutuel Wagering: 18

Commercial businesses must have an alcoholic beverages license to have up to 20 video gaming machines (VGM). Most locations are bars and taverns, but may also be laundry mats, truck stops, and other small businesses. The maximum bet on VGMs is $2 while the maximum payout is $800.

Montana collects a 15% tax on business income from video gaming machines. For fiscal year 2019, the tax collections for VGMs was $63 million toward the state general fund.

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Each state-tribal gaming compact describes:

• How many machines each tribal casino can offer.
• Whether they will have Class II bingo-style games-of-skill or Class III Vegas-style games-of-chance gaming machines.
• Maximum bet and maximum award limits.

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Specifically, for the seven federally-recognized tribes in Montana:

1. Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation
   • 2012 compact allows up to 750 Class III Vegas-style gaming machines
   • Maximum bet and payout: $10 and $2,500 for regular gaming machines
   • 20% of machines may be high stakes with $50 bets and $5,000 payouts
2. Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation
   • No existing tribal-state compact
   • Offers only Class II bingo-style gaming machines
3. Chippewa Cree Tribe of Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation
   • 2012 compact allows up to 750 Class III Vegas-style gaming machines
   • Maximum wagers on all machines is $10
   • Maximum payouts are $3,000 on up to 500 machines
   • Maximum payouts are $5,000 on up to 250 machines
4. Crow Tribe of the Crow Indian Reservation
   • 2014 compact allows up to 925 Class III Vegas-style gaming machines
   • Two-thirds may be regular stakes with maximum $10 bet and $3,000 payout
   • One-third may be high stakes with maximum $50 bet and $5,000 payout
5. Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes of the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation
   • 2007 compact allows up to 400 Class III Vegas-style gaming machines
   • All machines have a maximum bet of $5 and a maximum payout of $2,000
6. Northern Cheyenne Tribe of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation
   • 2013 compact allows up to 750 Class III Vegas-style gaming machines
   • Maximum payouts are $3,000 on all gaming machines
7. Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Indian Reservation
   • No existing tribal-state compact
   • Offers only Class II bingo-style gaming machines

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*The purpose of this section is to inform the public of state gambling laws and how the laws might apply to various forms of gaming. It is not legal advice.

Slot Machine Private Ownership in Montana

Slot machines owned in Montana privately if they are at least 30 years old.

Gaming Control Board in Montana

Montana’s gaming control board is its Gambling Control Division within the Montana Department of Justice. Further, Montana has a Gaming Advisory Council (GAC) which also reports to the Justice Department. The GAC advises the state legislature on public policy matters related to gaming every two years with its Biennial Report.

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Casinos in Montana

There are eight American Indian tribal casinos and many bars and taverns with slot machines in Montana.

The largest casino in Montana is Gray Wolf Peak Casino with 307 gaming machines.

The second-largest casino is Glacier Peaks Hotel & Casino with 300 gaming machines.

Commercial Casinos in Montana

There are 1,309 bars and taverns in Montana having a total of 16,883 video gaming machines (VGMs). Each licensed retailer can have up to a maximum of 20 VGMs, although eight of these businesses have only a single VGM.

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Tribal Casinos in Montana

Montana has eight tribal casinos:

1. Charging Horse Casino & Bingo in Lame Deer located 342 miles east of Helena.
2. Fort Belknap Casino in Harlem located 46 miles west of Malta.
3. Glacier Peaks Hotel & Casino in Browning located 126 miles northwest of Great Falls.
4. Gray Wolf Peak Casino in Missoula located 113 miles west of Helena.
5. KwaTaqNuk Casino Resort in Polson located 182 miles northwest of Helena.
6. Northern Winz Hotel & Casino in Box Elder located 89 miles northeast of Great Falls.
7. Northern Winz II Casino in Box Elder located 89 miles northeast of Great Falls.
8. Silverwolf Casino in Wolf Point located 320 miles east of Great Falls.

Other Gambling Establishments

As an alternative to enjoying Montana slot machine casino gambling, consider exploring casino options in a nearby state. Bordering Montana is:

• North: Canadian Provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan
• East: North Dakota Slots and South Dakota Slots
• South: Wyoming Slots
• West: Idaho Slots

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Each of the links above will take you to my blog for that neighboring U.S. state to Montana.

Our Montana Slots Facebook Group

Are you interested in sharing and learning with other slots enthusiasts in Montana? If so, join our new Montana slots community on Facebook. All you’ll need is a Facebook profile to join this closed Facebook Group freely.

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There, you’ll be able to privately share your slots experiences as well as chat with players about slots gambling in Montana. Join us!

Payout Returns in Montana

Video gaming machines in Montana’s bars and taverns have a minimum theoretical payout limit of 80% for video slot machines, video bingo, video keno, and video poker. Further, video slot machines have a maximum theoretical payout limit of 92%.

No limits on payout returns have been set for Montana tribes, with one slight exception. The Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation have their negotiated tribal-state compact which states that slot machines designed and developed for exclusive use by the tribe do not have legal minimum and maximum payout return limits.

However, game themes used in other gaming jurisdictions must have the same maximum theoretical payout return limit of 92% for video slots in Montana’s commercial bars and taverns.

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Actual return statistics for gaming machines in Montana, whether commercial or tribal, are not publicly available.

Summary of Montana Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020

Montana slot machine casino gambling consists of eight tribal casinos in addition to 1,309 small businesses having 16,883 video slots, video keno, video bingo, and video poker gaming machines.

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Commercial video gaming machines have a minimum theoretical payout return of 80% and, for video slot machines only, a maximum theoretical payout of 92%. Tribal casinos have no theoretical payout limits except for the Chippewa Cree Tribe which has a maximum theoretical payout of 92% for their non-exclusive slot machine game themes.

Annual Progress in Montana Slot Machine Casino Gambling

Over the last year, there has been little change in the slots gaming industry in Montana.

Related Articles from Professor Slots

• 11 Things You Need To Know About American Indian Tribal Casinos
• The Ultimate Guide to Tribal Gaming

Other State-By-State Articles from Professor Slots

• Online Resource: State-By-State Slot Machine Casino Gambling Series
• Previous: Missouri Slot Machine Casino Gambling
• Next: Nebraska Slot Machine Casino Gambling