HELENA — The judge overseeing a lawsuit challenging sports betting rules in Montana, has denied an injunction that would have stopped the Montana Lottery from issuing sports wagering licenses until the lawsuit was resolved.
Arete Group, LLC, a Billings-based investment group, asked for the injunction as a part of their suit alleging they should be issued a sports wagering license by the Montana Lottery as outlined in House Bill 725 and passed by the 2019 Montana Legislature.
Last year the Montana Lottery Commission added a rule requiring “an appropriate alcoholic beverage license” in order to obtain a sports wagering license.
Arete Group has already been granted a gambling operator license, and argue the Lottery commission was wrong in adding the additional alcoholic beverage license as a requirement to obtain a sports wagering license.
So far the Lottery reports receiving hundreds of applications from businesses wanting a sports wagering license, and are in the process of reviewing those applications and working on training for sales agents.
