Montana Online Gambling & Casinos

Montana has been relatively liberal with its gambling policies and could certainly change course to allow online gambling in the future. In the meantime, we suggest playing at social and sweepstakes casinos. Make sure to check back with Gambling.com for the latest updates and developments with Montana online gambling legislation.

Is Online Gambling Legal in Montana?

No, online gambling is not legal in Montana. The state has legal sports betting, tribal casinos and thousands of bars and restaurants with a small offering of electronic gaming machines. However, online sports wagering and online casino sites remain off limits in Montana. That doesn't mean that online casino won't appear in the future. It's almost certain that state residents would find some fun with promotions similar to online casino bonuses in NJ.

Social casinos are perfectly legal in Montana and represent a great option for legitimate online casino play. These social casino sites feature online slot machines and table games very similar to the ones found at real-money online casinos. The difference is social casino users don’t have to deposit any funds to start playing.

Top social casino sites like WinStar, LuckyLand and Chumba immediately deposit a number of tokens and sweeps coins into a players’ accounts as soon as they register. They can then play a number of games like blackjack and slot machines using said tokens. They can also win prizes and even real cash using the sweeps coins. These count as “sweepstakes” winnings rather than gambling winnings because the player didn’t risk any money. That’s why they’re referred to as sweeps or “sweepstakes” coins.

As long as online gambling remains illegal in Montana, social casino sites represent a great option for gaming enthusiasts.

Will Montana Legalize Online Gambling?

It’s still difficult to say, but Montana certainly has a better chance at legal online gambling considering they’ve gotten the ball rolling in other avenues. Gov. Steve Bullock already signed a bill legalizing sports gambling in May 2019 and the state has several land-based tribal casinos.

But sports wagering is still limited to on-site at retail locations with betting kiosks and terminals, and there’s currently no form of legal online gambling. With Montana leaving so much revenue on the table by forgoing mobile sports betting, it stands to reason legislators could push for online sports betting Montana and perhaps include casino betting down the road.

Land-Based Casinos in Montana

Apsaalooke Nights Casino

This Montana gambling hall is owned by the Crow Tribe and features roughly 200 electronic gaming machines, bingo, keno and poker.

Charging Horse Casino

Charging Horse includes more than 125 electronic gaming machines, a bingo hall that seats up to 500 people and a full restaurant.

Fort Belknap Casino

This modest tribal casino includes roughly 100 electronic gaming machines and a concessions stand in Harlem.

Glacier Peaks Casino

Glacier Peaks includes more than 300 slots and electronic gaming machines. There’s also a hotel on property while eating and drinking options include Jackpot Restaurant, Lucky’s Lounge bar and the Glacier Grind Café.

Gray Wolf Peak Casino

This Montana tribal casino has more than 300 slot machines and electronic games, including progressive jackpots. There’s also a restaurant and full bar on property.

KwaTaqNuk Casino Resort

This large casino property has more than 220 slot machines and offers a variety of stay-and-play options with its adjacent hotel. They can also host business retreats, weddings and other special events.

Northern Winz Hotel and Casino

Northern Winz is a stay-and-play property with solid casino offerings including more than 100 electronic gaming machines in a 20,000-square foot gaming floor. There’s also a poker room with monthly tournaments, full bar and steakhouse.

Silver Wolf Casino

This Montana casino offers roughly 130 slot machines and electronic games. Silver Wolf also has pull tabs and bingo games.

Which Montana Casinos Will Offer Online Gambling?

It’s difficult to say considering Montana has fairly intricate gambling laws. Online gambling in Montana was banned in any form in 2005, leaving little wiggle room to change over the years. There are a handful of tribal casinos but no commercial casinos. And there are a ton of bars and restaurants with a limited number of electronic gaming machines.

Montana’s gambling policy will need significant overhaul before online gambling is allowed and licenses are distributed either to existing tribal casinos or commercial operators.

In the meantime, social casinos remain a great option for online casino gaming in Montana. They have all the popular table games and online slot machines very similar to the ones you’d find at a real-money casino, and it’s all perfectly legal for Montana residents.

Mobile Casino Apps in Montana

If and when online gambling in Montana is legalized, mobile apps would definitely be included as one of several options.

Mobile online casino apps are easy to download from your Android or iOS device and have become commonplace for popular gaming operators. They offer all the same options you’d find at an online casino site. The difference is you can play table games like blackjack and slot machines from your cell phone, meaning players can take the online casino with them wherever they go.

The convenience factor is a big plus, and most operators offer sleek, easy-to-use interfaces for online gambling via mobile apps.

Expected Online Casino Games to Launch in Montana

Online Slots

Online slots are one of the most popular forms of online gambling in states where the practice is legal. Should Montana move to legalize online gambling, they would certainly be popular there as well. Online slots offer the same bells and whistles as land-based slot machines. Plus, playing online means you never have to hover over someone’s shoulder while waiting for your favorite game or delay bathroom trips for fear of losing your seat at a hot machine.

Online Poker

Montana allows establishments with liquor licenses to hold poker games and a number of establishments do include live poker rooms. Online poker is still illegal, however. The difference is you can read personalities, facial expressions and tells in a live poker room. Online poker is all about recognizing betting patterns considering you can’t see the other players. Otherwise, the rules for popular online poker games are exactly the same.

Roulette

Online roulette is available in most states with legal online gambling and would presumably be offered in Montana should they change the laws. All the same bet types are included online, so you can play red/black, high/low, even/odd, individual numbers or other wagers. The only difference is there’s no live dealer and no crowd to deal with like you’d find at a roulette table in a land-based casino.

Online Blackjack

Playing online blackjack is a great way to practice and get faster at knowing how to play your cards in various scenarios. It’s not legal for real-money online casinos in Montana, but residents can still play all they want at social casinos. The rules are the same as in-person blackjack and it helps being able to play as many hands as you want in order to improve your game with a lot of reps.

Lottery

Montana established a state-run lottery in 1986, leading to roughly $30 million in revenue each year. But online lottery remains off limits in Montana as part of a strict online gambling ban. Several states do offer online lottery apps, which allow players to purchase tickets and play online rather than having to stop at a land-based retailer.

Live Dealer

Live dealer is a nice area but only available in a few states. There’s no guarantee it would be available in Montana if the state ever moves to legalize online gambling. Live dealer means you’ll see an actual person dealing cards for online games via video stream, though the rules and house odds remain the same.

If legal online gambling comes to Montana in the future, players should have plenty of payment options when it comes to making a deposit.

Most top casinos now accept credit/debit cards like Visa or Mastercard. This is a convenient method, but some players do run into problems with banks flagging them as suspicious transactions even in states with legal online gambling. This is a bank issue rather than a casino issue, so talk to your bank first if you run into any problems.

PayPal is another easy one, especially for those who already have accounts. Players can simply transfer funds directly from their PayPal account to the casino site. Signing up for a PayPal account is also an easy, quick process for those who don’t already have one.

The Play+ card is also widely accepted. Instead of paying the casino directly, users can add funds to their Play+ card with a credit card or bank account and then use it to make their initial deposits at the casinos. You can also withdraw winnings back to the Play+ card and then access your cash at an ATM.

E-wallets like Skrill and Neteller, which are similar to PayPal, serve as a good go-round for those having issues with any other types of payments. Bank transfers and ACH payments are usually accepted as well, but might take longer than the above options.

What Online Casino Bonuses Will Be Available in Montana?

While online gambling in Montana is currently illegal, online casino players would be able to take advantage of scores of sign-up bonuses and promotions should the state decide to change the law.

Online casino bonuses like matched deposits are a huge plus for players as they decide where to make their first deposit. Some casinos will match it up to a certain amount, between $500-$1,000, essentially doubling the players’ bankroll at the sign-up process. The only catch is players may have to wager a certain amount before they have access to the bonus funds. Always read the terms and conditions.

Free spins are another popular one for online slot machine players. Online casinos essentially give a player a certain number of tokens they can use to play slots for free, while getting to keep any and all profits.

Similarly, some online casinos will offer new players a real money online casino no deposit bonus codes, which is essentially a small amount of free cash – typically $25 or so – with minimal playthrough requirements.

Refer-a-friend bonuses are also prominent and allow players to receive bonus funds every time they direct an acquaintance to an online casino. The new user lists the player who referred them and that player than receives a bonus fund in their account.

These are just a few of the popular bonuses and promotions for first-time users. Players should definitely shop around and see which ones could be most beneficial based on their wagering and playing preferences.