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Montana Senate Tax Committee Hears Testimony on Doubling Video‑Gaming Machine Bet Limits
Summary
Senator Wiley Galt, sponsor of Senate Bill 153, told the Senate Tax Committee that the bill would “move the maximum bet from $2 to $4 and the maximum payout from $800 to $11.99.” The committee held a public hearing and heard several hours of testimony for and against the proposal; the committee took no committee vote during the hearing.
Senator Wiley Galt, sponsor of Senate Bill 153, told the Senate Tax Committee that the bill would “move the maximum bet from $2 to $4 and the maximum payout from $800 to $11.99.” The committee held a public hearing and heard several hours of testimony for and against the proposal; the committee took no committee vote during the hearing.
Why it matters: proponents said higher bet limits would let Montana operators add new games, refresh a market that has not had a statutory raise since 1987 and likely boost gross receipts subject to the state’s 15% video‑gaming tax. Opponents said the change amounts to an expansion of gambling that would hurt small taverns, increase volatility in payouts and potentially shift revenue out of Montana.
Proponents included route operators and machine owners who said manufacturers need higher limits to justify updated software and new games. Jesse Luther of Golden Route Operations told the committee, “We rise in strong…
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