Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 23. PARKS, RECREATION, SPORTS, AND GAMBLING

CHAPTER 4. HORSERACING

Part 1. Administration

Definitions

23-4-101. Definitions. Unless the context requires otherwise, in this chapter the following definitions apply:

(1) "Advance deposit wagering" means a form of parimutuel wagering in which a person deposits money in an account with an advance deposit wagering hub operator licensed by the board to conduct advance deposit wagering. The money is used to pay for parimutuel wagers made in person, by telephone, or through a communication by other electronic means on horse or greyhound races held in or outside this state.

(2) "Advance deposit wagering hub operator" means a simulcast and interactive wagering hub business licensed by the board that, through a subscriber-based service located in this or another state, conducts parimutuel wagering on the races that it simulcasts and on other races that it carries in its wagering menu and that uses a computer that registers bets and divides the total amount bet among those who won.

(3) "Board" means the board of horseracing provided for in 2-15-1809.

(4) "Board of stewards" means a board composed of three stewards who supervise race meets.

(5) "Department" means the department of commerce provided for in Title 2, chapter 15, part 18.

(6) "Fantasy sports league" has the meaning provided in 23-5-801.

(7) "Immediate family" means the spouse, parents, children, grandchildren, brothers, or sisters of an official or licensee regulated by this chapter who have a permanent or continuous residence in the household of the official or licensee and all other persons who have a permanent or continuous residence in the household of the official or licensee.

(8) "Match bronc ride" means a saddle bronc riding contest consisting of two sections known as a "long go" and a "short go" in which the win, place, and show winners are determined by judges of the rides for each go.

(9) "Minor" means a person under 18 years of age.

(10) "Montana wager" means a parimutuel wager that is placed at a race track in Montana or on a race being conducted in Montana or any parimutuel wager placed by a Montana resident on a race conducted outside of Montana.

(11) "Parimutuel facility" means a facility licensed by the board at which fantasy sports leagues are conducted and wagering on the outcome under a parimutuel system is permitted.

(12) "Parimutuel network" means an association licensed by the board to compile and distribute fantasy sports league rosters and weekly point totals for licensed parimutuel facilities and to manage statewide parimutuel wagering pools on fantasy sports leagues.

(13) "Persons" means individuals, firms, corporations, fair boards, and associations.

(14) (a) "Race meet" means racing of registered horses or mules, match bronc rides, and wild horse rides at which the parimutuel system of wagering is used. The term includes horseraces, mule races, and greyhound races that are simulcast.

(b) The term does not include live greyhound racing.

(15) "Racing" means live racing of registered horses or mules and simulcast racing of horses, mules, and greyhounds.

(16) "Simulcast" means a live broadcast of an actual horserace, mule race, or greyhound race at the time it is run. The term includes races of local or national prominence.

(17) "Simulcast facility" means a facility at which horseraces, mule races, or greyhound races are simulcast and wagering on the outcome is permitted under the parimutuel system.

(18) "Simulcast parimutuel network" means an association that has contracted with the board to receive or originate intrastate and interstate simulcast race signals, relay the race signals to licensed simulcast facilities, and manage statewide parimutuel wagering pools on simulcast races or has been licensed by the board to operate a statewide parimutuel wagering pool for fantasy sports leagues. The board may act as a simulcast parimutuel network provider with respect to simulcast races.

(19) "Source market fee" means the portion of a wager made with a licensed advance deposit wagering hub operator by a Montana resident that is paid to the board.

(20) "Steward" means an official hired by the department and by persons sponsoring a race meet to regulate and control the day-to-day conduct and operation of a sanctioned meet.

(21) "Wild horse ride" means a wild horse riding contest in which three-person teams attempt to saddle a wild horse and ride it completely around a track with the first to do so declared the winner.

History: En. Sec. 2, Ch. 196, L. 1965; amd. Sec. 13, Ch. 350, L. 1974; R.C.M. 1947, 62-502; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 274, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 563, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 192, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 557, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 207, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 18, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 56, Ch. 483, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 9, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 379, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 387, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 294, L. 2011; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 402, L. 2013; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 382, L. 2015; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 232, L. 2019.