Montana governor gives the green light for sports betting legalisation

The race to legalise sports betting in the US is continuing to gather speed, as Montana’s State Governor Steve Bullock has signed a sports wagering bill into law.
Bullock confirmed that House Bill 725, otherwise known as the Sports Wagering Lottery Amendment Act of 2019, has been approved which will make the Montana Lottery the sole operator of sports betting services in the state across online, mobile and land-based.
Meanwhile another sports betting bill, Senate Bill 330, which called for private operators to be able to enter the market, was swiftly vetoed.
The bill has  been hailed as a  hugely positive development for the spread of sports gambling and affiliate marketing in the US.
This now means that the Treasure State will begin to develop a state lottery and wagering commission to provide sports betting and state regulation, which will only allow licensed vendors to offer sports betting.
The new bill has not yet confirmed the costs of new licences, nor the tax rates that are set to be imposed. The bill does, however, reference a $50 fee to cover the cost of investigating and processing licence applications, but this was removed earlier in the legislative process.
SB330 did set out a strategy to open up the Montana market further, with some calling for operators to be able to offer interactive sports betting via a website or a mobile device to consumers inside or on the premises of a licensed gambling facility.
The legislation also set out more detailed plans on the rats of taxes and licence fees, including a tax rate of adjusted gross sports betting receipts for each quarter, as well as a yearly fee of $100 for each kiosk placed in a gambling facility.
A third bill – HB475 – aimed at delivering the legalisation of pari-mutuel betting in Montana has been indefinitely postponed following House and Senate approval of the other two bills.