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A bill in the Montana legislature would establish a new type of fundraiser for certain non-profit organizations, called “Wild West Casino Nights.”
The legislation would allow gambling at these events as long as the games and the cause are both historical in nature. Play money would need to be used during actual gameplay, but the prizes could include cash or merchandise.
While many states allow charitable gaming, a regulated framework for such events that mandates a specific theme is a unique proposal. The novelty of the Wild West theme might even help the bill become law.
Bill creates “Wild West Casino Nights” regulations
The “Wild West Casino Nights” concept is the brainchild of Montana Sen. Forrest Mandeville, who filed SB 179. At this point, SB 179 is under consideration in the Montana Senate’s Business, Labor, and Economic Affairs committee.
The bill’s text defines a Wild West Casino Night as a “fundraising event during which wagers may be made in antique gambling activities…through the use of imitation money that may be purchased by participants.”
The bill stresses that in order to apply for a license to hold such an event, an applicant must be a:
- Nonprofit living history organization
- An individual living history volunteer
- A history reenacting organization
The bill says the purpose of the act “is to allow for historical education and fundraising for living history nonprofit organizations.” SB 179 defines antique gambling as:
- An illegal gambling device manufactured prior to 1994
- Any gambling device which, at present time, is 30 years old or older
- Any original gambling or reproduction gambling device that is either manual or mechanical from the period prior to 1877
So, most 20th-century slots would be permissible, as would replicas of 19th-century devices, even if these were manufactured more recently. The bill also allows for table games like baccarat and blackjack using imitation money. That would represent an expansion of current charitable gaming standards in Montana, which ban games like blackjack.
Despite using “imitation money” during the games, the events would collect real money from participants and potentially pay out cash or other valuable prizes.
New rules for video poker terminals
The educational component might facilitate SB 179’s enactment. However, it isn’t the only gaming bill in the Montana legislature at the onset of the 2025 session.
Montana Rep. Kelly Kortum has submitted HB 204, which intends to alter several standards applicable to video poker terminals in the state. The major sections of the bill are amendments regarding responsible gambling awareness.
The bill inserts new language into the state code, requiring gaming terminals to display information about gambling addiction. That includes resources provided by the department as well as phone numbers and other contact details for gambling help organizations.
Meanwhile, Montana Sen. Wylie Galt has filed SB 153, which raises the limits for electronic gaming. The legislation doubles the current $2 limit on plays and increases the maximum prize from $800 to $1,199. That new limit is designed to be just below the $1,200 slots jackpot reporting threshold set out by the IRS.
Montana’s gaming landscape is unique, as exemplified by its narrow framework for legal online sports betting, which requires bettors to be physically located at licensed locations to place wagers. The creation of Wild West Casino Nights would strengthen that uniqueness.
