- Montana Department Of Justice Gambling Control Division Jobs
- Montana Department Of Justice Gambling Control Division Phone Number
Proposed legislation heard at the State Capitol Tuesday would legalize sports gambling in Montana, but only in qualified locations like taverns.
The Senate Business, Labor, and Economic Affairs Committee heard Senate Bill 330, or the Montana Sports Betting Act.
AARS, CTVS, AND VGM HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE SPECIFICATIONS (1) The communications protocol used shall be the full implementation of International Game Technology's (IGT) Slot Accounting System (SAS) protocol version 6.00 or later.
Sponsor Sen. Mark Blasdel, R-Kalispell, said sports betting in the state is already happening and needs to be regulated.
“This is already something that is happening with a lot of folks,” said Blasdel. “Unfortunately it’s in the black market now. This would set it up so you would have the Department of Justice overseeing it to try to track who’s operating these and collect some tax revenue off of it as well.”
All forms of gambling, lotteries and gift enterprises are prohibited by the Montana Constitution “unless authorized by acts of the Legislature or by the people through initiative or referendum,'. Montana Gambling Control Division. Motor Vehicle Division, Montana Department of Justice. 1,176 Followers Government Organization. “Welcome to the Montana Department of Justice. We are more than 900 public servants working across Montana protecting public safety, prosecuting criminals, defending the constitution, protecting consumers, representing the state in court, registering vehicles, licensing drivers, regulating gambling, and more.
SB330 would require bettors to go through a state-authorized sportsbook operator or platform operator in order to make a sports bet.
Operators would need to be licensed through the Montana Department of Justice Gambling Control Division and would be under the same scrutiny as any vendor that currently offers gambling.
SB330 would only legalize betting on professional, collegiate and Olympic sports. Betting on high school or other unauthorized amateur sports would not be permitted.
Sports bets are allowed on mobile devices, but can only be placed inside the premises of a licensed gambling activity within the state. Current language of the bill requires locations to employ geolocation technology to ensure the bets only happen in a licensed establishment.
While there were no direct opponents to SB330, some speakers at the hearing expressed their concerns about the geolocation technology.
Lobbyists said the technology is too expensive and restrictive arguing mobile sports betting should be allowed anywhere people have a phone.
John Iverson of the Montana Tavern Association stated sports betting needs to be kept to authorized locations. Iverson said by doing so it will help create economic opportunity for businesses.
“If you look at the total tax on this bill to the taverns it’s not significant,” said Iverson. “If we pass this bill it will give a boost in the arm to a lot of small towns across the state of Montana.”
Blasdel would also like to see sports betting stay in authorized gambling locations.
“Part of it is certainly the economic driver,” explained Blasdel. “If not that we want to make sure at least the bettors have to go in and put the money in their account in the taverns. That way you don’t have somebody sitting at home — they have to make that trip and can’t just keep betting.”
If SB330 does become law, it would not take effect until June 1, 2020, to allow the Gambling Control Division to prepare for the new form of betting.
According to the Gambling Control Division, before betting can take place, staff will need to train on sports betting, sportsbook software will need to be tested, and administrative rules will need to be drafted.
SB330 would create four new positions within the Gambling Control Division. Those positions would be paid for by the taxes generated by statewide gambling.
Sports betting had previously been illegal nationwide until the United States Supreme Court, by a vote of 6-3, overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act on May 14 of last year. That decision made it possible for individual states to create and regulate their own sports betting.
Story by John Riley, MTN News
23.16.1920 AARS, CTVS, AND VGM HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE SPECIFICATIONS
(1) The communications protocol used shall be the full implementation of International Game Technology's (IGT) Slot Accounting System (SAS) protocol version 6.00 or later.
(a) The IGT SAS protocol specification documents may be obtained from IGT via e-mail: sasman@igt.com.
(b) The required minimum implementation of the IGT SAS protocol is defined in the Montana SAS Serial Protocol Implementation Guide. The guide is available on the Montana Department of Justice, Gambling Control Division web site (www.dojmt.gov/gaming) and is available by request from the Gambling Control Division, Technical Services Section, 2550 Prospect Ave., P.O. Box 201424, Helena, MT 59620-1424; (406) 444-1971.
(2) The physical interface specification is the Electronic Industries Association (EIA) standard EIA-232-F serial communication interface. Note: This standard is also known as RS-232 and TIA (Telecommunication Industry Association).
(a) The physical interface at the VGM shall be a female D-type 9-pin connector. The cable must be of sufficient length to easily reach the system interface board mounting regardless of the orientation of the interface board.
(b) The VGM shall be configured as data terminal equipment with EIA-232 connector pin out in accordance with the standard as follows:
PIN SIGNAL Description
1 DCD Data Carrier Detect (not used)
2 RX Received Data
3 TX Transmit Data
4 DTR Data Terminal Ready (optional)
5 GND Signal Ready
Montana Department Of Justice Gambling Control Division Jobs
6 DSR Data Set Ready (not used)
7 RTS Request To Send (not used)
8 CTS Clear To Send (not used)
9 RI Ring Indicator (not used)
(3) Any device communicating with a VGM shall be tested and approved by the department before being offered for sale, sold, or installed/connected to any permitted VGM. This does not include proprietary business software that only receives data published from a Tier 1 site controller.
Montana Department Of Justice Gambling Control Division Phone Number
History: 23-5-115, 23-5-621, MCA; IMP, 23-5-603, 23-5-621, 23-5-631, 23-5-637, MCA; NEW, 2003 MAR p. 1989, Eff. 9/12/03; AMD, 2011 MAR p. 1681, Eff. 1/1/12; AMD, 2018 MAR p. 1958, Eff. 10/6/18; AMD, 2019 MAR p. 1860, Eff. 10/19/19.