Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 23. PARKS, RECREATION, SPORTS, AND GAMBLING

CHAPTER 6. AMUSEMENT GAMES

Part 1. General

Requirements For Games

23-6-102. Requirements for games. An operator, concessionaire, nonprofit organization, or arcade may provide amusement games to the public under the following conditions:

(1) The sale of a right to participate, the determination of winners, and the distribution of prizes all occur in the presence of all players.

(2) The appropriate permit to operate the game has been obtained as provided for in 23-6-103.

(3) The player pays cash for the right to play the game.

(4) Only a prize may be awarded, and a prize may not be repurchased from a player. Prizes, as defined in 23-6-101(6)(a), and tangible personal property that may be obtained through redemption of tokens or tickets must be displayed.

(5) (a) If tangible personal property, rather than tokens or tickets, is awarded following play of the amusement game, the wholesale value of the property may not exceed $50.

(b) If tokens or tickets are awarded following play of the amusement game:

(i) the value of the tokens or tickets for redemption purposes may not exceed 5 cents;

(ii) the maximum number of tokens or tickets awarded after a single play of the amusement game may not exceed the value of 10 times the total amount paid by all participants to play the amusement game; and

(iii) any tangible personal property for which tokens or tickets are redeemed may exceed a wholesale value of $50.

(6) The system for awarding prizes does not require forfeiture of a previously won prize unless the prize is traded for a prize of equal or greater value.

(7) Concealed numbers or conversion charts are not used in conducting the game.

(8) The game is not designed or adapted with a control device to permit manipulation of the game to control the ability of a player to win or to predetermine who the winner will be. A crane game may not contain a variable resistor or any turn screw, knob, potentiometer, or similar device that may be used to alter the closing strength of the game's claws or retrieval device.

(9) The object of the game is attainable and possible to perform, under the stated game rules, from the playing position of the player.

(10) The game is conducted in a fair and honest manner and does not constitute a fraud upon the players.

History: En. Sec. 2, Ch. 523, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 327, L. 1993.