- Newgioco, a betting technology supplier, will offer its sports betting platform to the Chippewa Cree Tribe.
- Chippewa Cree Tribe can offer sports gambling due to state-tribe compact for gaming.
- The State of Montana has not approved sports betting legislation as of yet, but three separate bills were introduced last month in relation to legal sports betting.
HELENA, Mont. - The State of Montana is still in the process of legalizing sports gambling. While no legislation has passed, Montana residents can still legally bet on sports in their state thanks to a recent partnership. Betting tech supplier Newgioco has come together with the Chippewa Cree Tribe in Montana to offer sports wagering for residents at the Northern Winz Casino.
The Tribe is able to provide this service for residents due to its state-tribe compact for gaming. The Tribe is allowed to offer Class III gambling activities like sports betting on their property. This gives them a significant head start over the State of Montana who must wait for legislation to pass through before they can enact a sports gambling law. Montana gamblers, however, will be well taken care of.
“While we await a decision on sports betting in Montana and many other states, this united partnership with the Chippewa Cree allows us to pioneer a unique library of Class 1 indigenous games so that tribal casino patrons can bet on their favorite games in a safe, regulated environment,” said Michele Ciavarella, Newgioco’s CEO.
Newgioco is not just a random gaming supplier, however. They are a licensed gambling tech company that mainly operates in Europe. Their ELYS sports betting platform will allow residents in Montana who can’t wait for the state itself to legalize sports gambling to have the ability to gamble legally.
Sports gambling at tribal facilities has made the leap to sports gambling much faster for various people around the country. The state-tribe compacts allow a secure place to gamble without risking money through an untrustworthy local bookie in a state that is yet to legalize or regulate sports gambling. The partnership with Newgioco meets the needs of both businesses as well.
“The agreement with the Chippewa Cree aligns with our core business of connecting with our clients by creating innovative tribal focused betting solutions through our ELYS platform and the many advantages this partnership can offer to the tribal gaming community as a whole,” said Ciavarella.
While Newgioco and its partnership with the Chippewa Cree Tribe will certainly satisfy eager sports bettors in the Montana area, in the coming months the state may do likewise. Three bills related to sports betting were introduced to the Montana legislature last month.
HB 475 will allow Montana pari-mutuel sports wagering through the board of horseracing. The bill will also allow the board to conduct sports wagering through pari-mutuel facilities as well.
HB 725 will allow sports wagering through the Montana lottery, which will broaden its wagering audience as well.
SB 330 will allow to the Montana Department of Justice to authorize and regulate the activity. This will give sports gambling in the state credibility and will help to ensure that gambling transactions in the state are safe.
Montana may be well on its way to legalizing sports gambling in the state, but Newgioco’s partnership with the Chippewa Cree Tribe will still be there to satisfy Montana gamblers in the short and long run. The multiyear partnership with Newgioco is sure to create a safe, secure gambling environment for Montana residents going into the future, regardless of what happens with Montana sports betting.