2023 Montana Code Annotated › Title 23. Parks, Recreation, Sports, and Gambling › Chapter 5. Gambling › Part 6. Video Gaming Machine Control Law › 23-5-602. Definitions

23-5-602. Definitions.
As used in this part, the following definitions apply:
(1) "Aggregate gross income" means the sum total of the gross income of all video gambling machines owned by a licensed machine owner.
(2) "Associated equipment" means all proprietary devices, machines, or parts used in the manufacture or maintenance of a video gambling machine, including but not limited to integrated circuit chips, printed wired assembly, printed wired boards, printing mechanisms, video display monitors, metering devices, and cabinetry.
(3) "Automated accounting and reporting system" means a system that, at a minimum, is used to electronically report video gambling machine accounting data to the state.
(4) (a) "Bingo machine" means an electronic video gambling machine that, upon insertion of cash, is available to play bingo, as defined by rules of the department. The machine uses a video display and microprocessors and, by the skill of the player, by chance, or by both, allows the player to receive free games, bonus games, or credits that may be redeemed for cash.
(b) The term does not include a slot machine or a machine that directly dispenses coins, cash, tokens, or anything else of value.
(5) (a) "Bonus game" means a game other than a bingo, poker, keno, or video line game that is offered as a prize for playing and achieving a defined outcome by playing a bingo, poker, keno, or video line game. The term includes a game that allows a player to win free credits, free games, or a multiplier of credits already won or to move to an accelerated pay table for the play of a bingo, poker, keno, or video line game. A bonus game must make available to the player a display of the rules for the bonus game.
(b) The term does not include a game that allows the player to wager money or credits on the game or to lose money or credits already won. The term does not include a game by which the bonus game would become the predominant game rather than a bingo, poker, keno, or video line game. The department shall by administrative rule define the conditions that would cause a bonus game to be the predominant game. The term does not include a game that displays or simulates a gambling activity that is not legal under state law.
(6) "Electronically captured data" means video gambling machine accounting information and records of video gambling machine events, in electronic form, that are automatically recorded and communicated to the department through an approved automated accounting and reporting system.
(7) "Gross income" means money put into a video gambling machine minus credits paid out in cash. Gross income may be either a negative or a positive value.
(8) (a) "Keno machine" means an electronic video gambling machine that, upon insertion of cash, is available to play keno, as defined by rules of the department. The machine uses a video display and microprocessors and, by the skill of the player, by chance, or by both, allows the player to receive free games, bonus games, or credits that may be redeemed for cash.
(b) The term does not include a slot machine or a machine that directly dispenses coins, cash, tokens, or anything else of value.
(9) "Licensed machine owner" means a licensed operator or route operator who owns a video gambling machine for which a permit has been issued by the department.
(10) "Multigame" means a combination of at least two or more approved types of games, including bingo, poker, keno, or video line games, within the same video gambling machine cabinet if the video gambling machine cabinet has been approved by the department.
(11) "Permitholder" means a licensed operator on whose premises is located one or more video gambling machines for which a permit has been issued by the department.
(12) "Player rewards system" means a system that rewards player loyalty, including but not limited to employing player rankings, awarding player points, or other promotions based on player engagement at an individual licensed premises as determined by using video gambling machine data, which may come from an automated accounting and reporting system, and other information gathered at an individual licensed premises.
(13) (a) "Poker machine" means an electronic video gambling machine that, upon insertion of cash, is available to play or simulate the play of the game of draw poker, 5-card stud, 7-card stud, or hold 'em, as defined by rules of the department. The machine uses a video display and microprocessors and, by the skill of the player, by chance, or by both, allows the player to receive free games, bonus games, or credits that may be redeemed for cash.
(b) The term does not include a slot machine or a machine that directly dispenses coins, cash, tokens, or anything else of value.
(14) (a) "Video line game" means a video line game as defined by rules of the department and approved by the department. A video line game uses a video display and microprocessors and, by the skill of the player, by chance, or by both, allows the player to receive free games, bonus games, or credits that may be redeemed for cash. Video line games may be offered only in a multigame video gambling machine cabinet.
(b) The term does not include a game played on a slot machine or a machine that directly dispenses coins, cash, tokens, or anything else of value.
History: En. Sec. 2, Ch. 720, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 154, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 317, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 603, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 44, Ch. 642, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 54, Ch. 647, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 17, Ch. 626, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 424, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 210, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 13, Ch. 134, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 319, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 121, L. 2011; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 98, L. 2021; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 598, L. 2023.