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SB 555MONTANASession 2025State BillSigned into law
Enacted

Montana classifies online casinos as illegal internet gambling and sets felony penalties for illegal operators

Original title: Generally revise gambling laws

Last action · May 16, 2025: Chapter Number AssignedSponsor: Vince Ricci

Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law

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What This Bill Does

Montana law now explicitly defines online casinos as prohibited unless they operate without using any form of currency, while directing all gambling-related fines to the Department of Justice operating budget and establishing felony liabilities for illegal online site operators.

Why it matters

Operators of unauthorized online gambling sites face up to 10 years in prison, fines of up to $50,000, and permanent revocation of all state gambling licenses or permits.

Background
  • Montana regulates gambling activities comprehensively through Title 23 of the Montana Code Annotated, administered primarily through the Department of Justice. context
  • State legislation concerning online gambling has increasingly addressed offshore and digital platforms operating across state jurisdictions without local authorization. context

Who It Affects

Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.

Directly affected

Gambling operators

Licensed gambling operators face revised definitions, stricter definitions regarding online operations, and mandatory license revocation upon felony conviction.

Directly affected

Department of Justice

The department receives all fine and penalty revenues into its operating budget and is responsible for issuing and revoking licenses and permits.

Directly affected

Online casino platforms

Platforms utilizing currency are classified as prohibited internet gambling and subjected to felony enforcement, while currency-free platforms are explicitly permitted.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are all online games or casinos illegal under this law?
No. Online casinos that do not allow the use of currency of any kind are explicitly exempted and are not considered a gambling activity.
What happens to the money collected from fines for gambling violations?
All fines and penalties collected by criminal, civil, or administrative process for violating gambling laws must be deposited in the state general fund operating budget of the Department of Justice.
What are the penalties for running an illegal online gambling site in Montana?
Operating an illegal site within the state, including via licensed or unlicensed offshore sources, subjects the person to felony criminal liabilities, which include up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $50,000, or both, alongside permanent revocation of all state gambling licenses.

What else do you want to know?

News Coverage

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Where This Stands

Current status: Signed into law.

Procedural history

39 actions
  1. May 16, 2025Senate
    Chapter Number Assigned
  2. May 13, 2025SenateEnrolled
    (S) Signed by Governor
  3. May 5, 2025Senate
    (S) Transmitted to Governor
  4. May 5, 2025House
    (H) Signed by Speaker
  5. Apr 29, 2025Senate
    (S) Signed by President
  6. Apr 28, 2025Senate
    (S) Returned from Enrolling
Show 33 earlier actions
  1. Apr 23, 2025Senate
    (S) Sent to Enrolling
  2. Apr 23, 2025House
    (H) 3rd Reading
  3. Apr 23, 2025House
    (H) Scheduled for 3rd Reading
  4. Apr 22, 2025House
    (H) 2nd Reading
  5. Apr 22, 2025House
    (H) Scheduled for 2nd Reading
  6. Apr 17, 2025HouseCommittee
    (H) Committee Report
  7. Apr 15, 2025HouseCommittee
    (H) Committee Executive Action
  8. Apr 14, 2025House
    (H) Hearing
  9. Apr 8, 2025House
    (H) Hearing
  10. Apr 7, 2025House
    (H) 1st Reading
  11. Apr 7, 2025HouseCommittee
    (H) Referred to Committee
  12. Apr 5, 2025Senate
    (S) Transmitted to House
  13. Apr 5, 2025Senate
    (S) 3rd Reading
  14. Apr 5, 2025Senate
    (S) Scheduled for 3rd Reading
  15. Apr 4, 2025Senate
    (S) 2nd Reading
  16. Apr 4, 2025Senate
    (S) Scheduled for 2nd Reading
  17. Apr 3, 2025SenateCommittee
    (S) Committee Report
  18. Apr 3, 2025Senate
    (S) Fiscal Note Unsigned
  19. Apr 3, 2025Senate
    (S) Fiscal Note Received
  20. Apr 3, 2025SenateCommittee
    (S) Committee Executive Action
  21. Mar 31, 2025Senate
    (S) Hearing
  22. Mar 31, 2025SenateCommittee
    (S) Referred to Committee
  23. Mar 28, 2025Senate
    (S) 1st Reading
  24. Mar 28, 2025Senate
    (S) Fiscal Note Requested
  25. Mar 27, 2025SenateIntroduced
    (S) Introduced
  26. Mar 27, 2025House
    (LC) Draft Delivered to Requester
  27. Mar 25, 2025House
    (LC) Draft Ready for Delivery
  28. Mar 24, 2025House
    (LC) Draft in Assembly
  29. Mar 24, 2025House
    (LC) Draft in Final Drafter Review
  30. Mar 24, 2025House
    (LC) Draft in Input/Proofing
  31. Mar 21, 2025House
    (LC) Draft in Edit
  32. Mar 20, 2025House
    (LC) Draft in Legal Review
  33. Dec 11, 2024House
    (LC) Drafter Assigned

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

Lobbying Activity

No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.

Full breakdown

Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.

Sponsors

Vince RicciSenate · District 27RepublicanPrimary sponsor

Discoveries

1 pattern noticed across the record

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Explicit Ban on Currency-Based Online Casinos

The legislation formally expands internet gambling definitions to capture online casinos while carving out a narrow exemption exclusively for non-currency platforms.

Department of Justice

Connected Entities

Department of Public Health and Human Services, District 27, Vince Ricci and 1 more
OrganizationDepartment of Public Health and Human Services“Adopts the state plan on aging that recognizes senior citizen center services.”Map →
locationDistrict 27“Legislative district of sponsor Vince Ricci.”Map →
PersonVince Ricci“Primary sponsor of SB 555.”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Justice“Receives deposited fines and penalties and issues gambling licenses.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

bills.legmt.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance75
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy60
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment10
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz40
    Current news / social attention level

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