Veto for sports betting in Montana stands

The sports betting segment in Montana was legalised but the governor vetoed a bill allowing private companies to operate.

US.- Governor Steve Bullock vetoed a sports betting bill in Montana that would have allowed private companies to operate. The government recently favoured another measure using the state lottery and lawmakers failed to stop the veto.

150 legislators voted to override the veto but supporters didn’t reach the two-thirds needed. Even as the measure passed both chambers with broad support by both parties, the veto will stand. Private and lottery systems would have competed, which was a good thing according to the bill’s sponsors.

Even as the bill got major support, 24 senators and representatives who voted in favour of it, rejected the override. Another 28 didn’t even show up to vote in the poll.

The legalisation

Sports betting continues to grow in the US after the revocation of PASPA and Montana has just joined. The state’s governor signed a bill into Law, opening Montana to sports betting.

The new regulations give the state lottery the power to oversee the segment. It will run through kiosks and mobile applications, expected to launch by fall.

The bill’s sponsor, Democratic Rep. Ryan Lynch, expects to launch sports betting before the football season begins. “It’s a good day for Montana to be able to see sports betting in the marketplace,” he said. “I think Montanans will enjoy the new aspect of watching sports for entertainment as well as betting on it.”