PPA State Blog: Montana

The Montana Gaming Control Division regulates all forms of gambling in Montana including Indian Gaming, except the Board of Horse Racing licenses and regulates the live and simulcast horse racing industry, and the Montana Lottery functions autonomously.

The Gaming Control Division oversees 1600 licensed gambling operators. There are legal gambling establishments in every county in the state. Montana has video poker, raffles, bingo, keno, bridge, cribbage, hearts, pan, pinochle, pitch, poker, rummy, solo, whist, and shake-a-day.

Sports pools, fantasy sports leagues and sports tab games are also legal.

Contact the Gambling Control Division

With the exception of its field offices, all Gambling Control Division offices are located at the following address:

Gambling Control Division
Department of Justice
2550 Prospect Avenue
P.O. Box 201424
Helena, MT 59620-1424

Phone: (406) 444-1971
E-mail: gcd@mt.gov

Montana Banana

The pocket cards 9-2, either suited or offsuit.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: It is a widely asserted myth that this nickname originates from the legalization of poker in Montana by Proposition 92. However, poker was legalized in Montana by the Card Games Act, 23-5-311. The actual origin of the term is unknown. Applies only to Texas Hold’em.

EXAMPLE: “I had Montana Banana and quickly folded.”

OK ill be first…I’m about 45 years old and play a fair amount online…mostly Pokerstars…I’m not that good, I break even if I’m lucky.  I like to play tournament poker live and do a lot better so watch out if I’m at your table.  Tragedy struck our family in the form of cancer this last year and we lost our youngest on June 11th, in Seattle.  We as a family went to Lee Rousso’s and PPa press conference/Rally in  Renton Washington in May. Logan had been getting treatment in Seattle and he loved poker sohe and his brothers got an education but best of all we got to meet Barry Greenstien and Andy Bloch.  What a great time Logan was thrilled, he learned first hand that poker is not a crime. 

 I look forward to getting to know more players from our great state and working together to get sensible laws in place. 

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