Gaming in Montana began in 1937 when the State Legislature passed the Hickey Act. The act legalized gaming tables as long as those gaming tables were approved by the local county. Bingo, raffles, and sports pools were legalized in Montana in 1973. In 1985, video poker became legal. Currently, Montana law allows bars and taverns to operate up to 20 video gaming devices.

In 1994, Montana negotiated Class III gaming with four Indian Tribes, which allowed high stake commercialized casinos. Montana has entered into compacts with five tribes. These Tribal casinos are allowed to operate the following games: video gaming machines, pari-mutuel wagering, Calcutta pools, fantasy sports, fishing derbies, tribal lotteries, live keno, sports pools, sports tabs, and raffles. Non-tribal casino licensing is performed by the State of Montana. Tribal gaming commissions are responsible for regulating and licensing all tribal casinos.

The Gaming Control Division through the Montana Department of Justice is the designated gaming regulator. That Division’s role is to enforce gaming regulations, issue licenses, investigate gaming practices, collect taxes, conduct annual audits, and test gaming devices. The license fee for manufacturer and distributors is $1,000 annually, with an initial $1,000 application fee. In addition to the Gaming Control Division, the Gaming Advisory Council is in charge of recommending amendments to existing gaming statutes.