By Gene Huntington, Administrator
The Gambling Control Division
The Gambling Control Division is proposing new rules that will set out a schedule for multi-game operators to begin on-line reporting. The schedule begins in October 2008, and ends in April 2010.
Refer to the chart for the proposed schedule.
In general, the districts with the most machines to be connected were earliest, with the districts with fewer machines scheduled later.
The schedule will also allow the GCD to better assist and train operators quarter-by-quarter, with scheduled information sessions and individual training.
Operators who may not be able to comply with the schedule can request a 90-day extension, or if a location does not want to report electronically, it can remove multi-game software.
The proposed rules will be finalized at the end of April, after a public hearing and review by the Gaming Advisory Council.
Multi-game agreements date back to the 2003 Legislature when a change in the law allowed gambling operators to get multi-game video gambling machines if they would agree to connect to an automated accounting system when a system was available.
The new reporting system became available January 1, 2008 and the Gambling Control Division projects that on April 1, 2008, 11,861 of the approximately 17,500 permitted video gambling machines will be reporting taxes electronically.
As of March 1, there were slightly more than 250 locations, with 2,678 video gambling machines under multi-game agreements that were not reporting electronically. The remaining 2,000-plus gambling machines are in locations that have never received permits for multi-game machines.
Dist. 7
Yellowstone, Carbon, Big Horn, Stillwater and Sweet Grass-October 1, 2008
Dist. 11
Mineral, Missoula, and Ravalli-January 1, 2009
Dist. 10
Flathead, Lake, Lincoln and Sanders-April 1, 2009
Dist. 8,12
Broadwater, Jefferson, Lewis & Clark, Beaverhead,
Deer Lodge, Granite, Madison, Powell and Silver Bow-July 1, 2009
Dist. 4, 5
Cascade, Chouteau, Glacier, Pondera, Teton, Toole, Blaine, Hill and Liberty-October 1, 2009
Dist. 1,2,3
Daniels, Phillips, Roosevelt, Sheridan, Valley, Dawson, Garfield, McCone, Prairie, Richland, Wibaux, Carter, Custer, Fallon, Powder River, Rosebud and Treasure-January 1, 2010
Dist. 6,9
Fergus, Golden Valley, Judith Basin, Musselshell, Petroleum, Wheatland, Gallatin, Meagher, and Park Counties-April 1, 2010
Source: The Montana Tavern Times, April, 2008, published monthly by Continental Communications, 125 W. Granite St., Suite 102, Butte, MT 59701.