Senate Bill No. [insert bill number] seeks to modernize Montana's gambling laws by introducing regulations for internet fantasy sports contests. The bill defines key terms such as "internet fantasy sports contest," "internet fantasy sports contest service provider," and "internet fantasy sports contest player," and establishes that these contests are legal when conducted by licensed providers. It grants the Department of Justice the authority to regulate these contests, outlines licensing requirements including background checks and fees, and sets conditions for license denial. Additionally, the bill imposes a 6.75% tax on adjusted revenues from these contests and mandates recordkeeping and annual audits for licensed providers, while also including penalties for non-compliance and confidentiality provisions for certain records.

Furthermore, the bill amends existing gambling laws to incorporate definitions and regulations for fantasy sports leagues and online sports wagering. It updates terms related to gambling, such as "parimutuel facility" and "simulcast parimutuel network," to include new activities and clarifies the department's role in overseeing these operations. The bill requires the department to adopt rules for implementing the new provisions, including licensing procedures and tax collection requirements, while also granting it the authority to suspend or revoke licenses. Importantly, the bill specifies that the chapter does not apply to Montana online sports wagering as outlined in the new sections, which are intended to be integrated into Title 23, chapter 5 of the Montana Code Annotated.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 23-4-101, 23-5-112, 23-5-113, 23-5-115, 23-7-102
SB0551_1(1): 23-4-101, 23-5-112, 23-5-113, 23-5-115, 23-7-102
SB0551_1(2): 23-4-101, 23-5-112, 23-5-113, 23-5-115, 23-7-102
SB0551_1(3): 23-4-101, 23-5-112, 23-5-113, 23-5-115, 23-7-102
SB0551_1: 23-4-101, 23-5-112, 23-5-113, 23-5-115, 23-7-102