Legal sports gambling has arrived in New Mexico.
Even though there are currently no options to place bets on the internet, players at NM can bet online sports in person at the Santa Ana Star Casino only 10 miles outside of Albuquerque.
More and more US states are legalizing sports gambling and New Mexico is getting in on the activity. With a single tribal casino accepting stakes, and more expressing interest in doing the same, we expect the country to take steps towards greater widespread legalization in 2019.
In this complete guide to legal sports gambling in New Mexico we’ll have a good look at the current laws at the state and that which we expect to happen in the not too distant future. We’ll explain where in New Mexico you can create bets and what sports you can gamble on.
Finally, we’ll learn more about the daily dream sports gambling situation in the country and answer some of the most often asked questions about New Mexico sports betting.
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New Mexico Sports Betting at a Glance
New Mexico is now the sixth state to legalize sports gambling since the 2018 US Supreme Court decision to strike down a federal ban online sports betting that was in effect since 1992. New Mexico joins Delaware, Mississippi, New Jersey, Nevada, and West Virginia as part of their first wave of countries to provide legal betting choices.
New Mexico’s situation is exceptional, however. Unlike the other countries on this list, New Mexico watched a tribal casino begin taking bets on sports prior to any official state laws had been passed.
The Santa Ana Star Casino & Hotel, situated on the property of the Pueblo of Santa Ana Tamaya Nation tribe admitted its earliest bets in October of 2018. The compact which New Mexico has the tribe makes it possible for all kinds of gambling which meant it was free to provide sports betting after the US Supreme Court decision.
The state of New Mexico hasn’t officially introduced legislation to legalize sports gambling but most industry experts believe it will happen soon since sports gambling is currently available in the country via the casino.
The Recent Online Sports Betting Situation at New Mexico
There is a lot happening in New Mexico sports gambling and We Would like to highlight a few key details before we get into more detail:
Just 1 casino offers sports betting and currently does not have cellular or internet wagering.
There are rumors that a 2nd tribal casino, the Inn of the Mountain Gods that’s run by the Mescalero Apache tribe, in Ruidoso, will open another sportsbook at 2019.
Pueblo of Santa Ana Gaming Regulatory Commission will oversee all sports betting activity.
Operations will be managed by Las Vegas-based USBookmaking.
Initial betting limits are $5 minimum, $500 maximum per bet.
No wagering permitted on New Mexico or New Mexico State NCAA sports.
If you haven’t heard, the recent Supreme Court decision was a complete game-changer from the United States sports betting industry.
So what exactly happened and how can this affect New Mexico?
In May of 2018, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of an appeal by the state of New Jersey that sought to overturn a quarter-century old ban on sports betting. That law, known as the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), basically prohibited sports betting anywhere in the USA except for Nevada.
Getting rid of PASPA gave each nation the chance to make its own laws on sports betting to choose if it should be permitted and in the form. Four nations joined Nevada straight off the bat. New Mexico, being the sixth in the country, has gone about it in a different way than all the rest.
As a result of loophole in their compact with local tribal bands that neither prohibits or sanctions legal sports gambling, the Santa Ana tribe could and has officially established sports betting on its territory in an unheralded manner. Details of stated loophole are seen in the area below.
New Mexico Sports Betting Laws Summary
The biggest difference between New Mexico and other states is a specific region of the agreement that the state made using the Pueblo of Santa Ana Tamaya Nation tribe regarding gaming.
It says that all Class III gambling is permitted which includes both sports betting and pari-mutuel wagering.
A transcript from the countries that are compact:
The Tribe may run, just on Indian Lands, subject to all of the terms and conditions of this Compact, any or all sorts of casino-style gambling, including but not limited to slot machines and other kinds of electronic gaming devices; all forms of poker, blackjack and other casino-style card games, both banked and unbanked; roulette; craps; keno; wheel of fortune; pai gow; and other games played in casino configurations; and any kind of a lottery.
Details of the current standing are as follows:
First state to take bets with no official state legislature regulating sports gambling.
Tribal-State compact lets all types of Class III gaming.
Sports gaming and pari-mutuel wagering are included in Class III gambling.
Betting on all significant sports and NCAA with the exclusion of faculty teams at New Mexico.
No alcohol will be served at the sportsbook
Sportsbook open Noon to 8pm on weekdays; 7am to 10pm on weekends.
Must be 21 years of age to gamble anywhere in casino.
The History of Online Sports Betting in New Mexico
If you love gaming New Mexico is a wonderful place to reside for quite a while, because the late 1940s in fact. You will find both tribal and state-based casinos in addition to several horse racing tracks.
New Mexico’s scenario is intriguing because of their innovative method of age-old laws and regulations. Let’s look at some of the most historic gambling moments from the state’s past.
1947 – Legalization of horse racing. First legal Pari-Mutuel Horse race betting starts at Hollywood park – today known as Ruidoso Park.
1978 – Charity gambling and bingo hailed for elders for smaller stakes. Not for profit of organizers.
1988 – Governor refuses to sign prices for 1988 Federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Loses following election.
1990 – New officials of state government re-negotiates compacts with Native American,
1995 – Tribal compacts become law. New casinos established. Horse racing tracks allowed to feature slot machines as part of the deal in order to compete with casinos.
1995 – New Mexico lottery created.
2011 – Albuquerque Downs Casino opens, becoming the very first non-tribal casino.
October 16, 2018 – The first legal sports wager is put in New Mexico at the Santa Ana Star Casino & Hotel sportsbook.
The very first bet was a $30 moneyline wager placed on the Houston Astros to defeat the Boston Red Sox. The ticket dropped.
While New Mexicans have enjoyed a progressive stance on gaming as a whole in recent decades, these new developments are certain to bring much more interest. Considering that the casino and sportsbook stay private and owned by the nation, it’s unknown what type of earnings will visit the state.
Tax revenue and public need are the two biggest factors which push state lawmakers into actions and New Mexico seems to have both of them covered.
Which Online Sports Betting Sites are lawful in New Mexico?
You can’t make any sports bets on line in New Mexico, yet. For that reason there are now no online sportsbooks offered in the state.
The following is by the tribal/state streamlined and indicates that online betting is a possibility but would require the nation to legalize internet gaming and make a change to the compact:
« In the event that online gaming is approved within the State, the State and the Tribe agree that they will reopen good faith negotiations to assess the impact, if any, of internet gambling and consider adjustments to the Compact. The parties understand and agree that it is not feasible to determine at this time what, if any, adjustments to the Compact would be necessary. »
Right now there’s just the option to place stakes in person at one of the four kiosks inside the Santa Ana Star Casino & Hotel sportsbook.
There are two self-service kiosks available 24/7 and clerks can be found to take your stakes from noon to 8pm on weekdays and from 7am to 10pm on weekends.
It is still unknown if and when online betting on sports will soon be accessible in New Mexico but for this first sportsbook running the future looks bright.
Sports gaming, specifically online sports gambling, is a massive money maker and New Mexico is poised to reap the rewards if they go with legalization in 2019.
What Sports Can You Bet on Online at New Mexico?
At the Santa Ana Star Casino & Hotel sportsbook you can bet on all significant sports and many less popular non-marquee sportsbetting. It’s possible to bet on NCAA sports with the exception of games which involve New Mexico-based collegiate teams.
So unfortunately for fans of this New Mexico University Lobos or the New Mexico State Aggies, watching the game without betting on it will have to suffice.
Betting options include but are not limited to:
NFL
NBA
MLB
Golf
NHL
MMA
Football CFL
e-Sports
Tennis
NCAA games that don’t include New Mexico teams
Minor league sports
How to Bet on Sports Legally in New Mexico
To put sports bets at the Santa Ana Star sportsbook you must be of legal gaming age which is 21.
As they do not have nor function through a mobile program, it isn’t required to register for an account in order to place a bet. If they do pose a cell option, simply follow the sportsbook app’s directions to set up and fund your accounts.
The Santa Ana Star includes a committed sportsbook which has 24/7 gambling kiosks and live cashier clerks operating from noon to 8pm on weekdays and 7am to 10pm on weekends.
Placing bets using the kiosk or straight at the cashier is simple. All you need to know is the game that you would like to wager on, the kind of wager you want to create and how much you would like to bet. Either enter the info using a kiosk or inform the clerk.
In any event you’ll receive a betting slip which you can use to redeem your payout when the bet is a winner.
Is Betting on Fantasy Sports Legal in New Mexico?
Yes, betting on daily fantasy sports is legal in New Mexico.
It’s legal for individuals in New Mexico to perform on all the major DFS websites such as DraftKings and FanDuel.
Locals can be certain that playing DFS for real money is safe and secure as DFS wagering is controlled by both the Fantasy Sports Trade Association and the US Gambling Commission.
What’s the Future of Online Sports Betting at New Mexico?
Technically speaking, we are halfway there already since sports gambling is available in the country, albeit in person. That is a good first step.
Although New Mexico has taken an alternate path to legal sports betting, the simple fact that it exists in the nation is good reason to think it will expand and grow over time.
When and if this does happen we will certainly see online and mobile sports gambling available from the state.
What happens throughout 2019 will be quite telling as much as what we could expect along with the sportsbook at the Santa Ana Star Casino.
We know that a different casino, the Inn of the Mountain Gods, in Ruidoso, is anxious to join the mixture. Another casino sportsbook would only add momentum to what’s already building.
There are more steps involved with making online sports gambling legal. The current laws will need to be changed along with the tribal compacts in the country is going to need to be renegotiated. Check back on this page soon for almost any developments as they occur.
Recap: Legal New Mexico Sports Betting Arrives
The improvements in New Mexico have revealed a new way that sports gambling may become available in different states, even if those countries haven’t passed pro-sports gambling legislation.
People in New Mexico are already enjoying reside lawful betting on tribal property and experts predict the state government will be taking a serious look for an official piece of law in 2019.
Similar to any other state questioning whether or not to create a legal sports gambling industry New Mexico will have a harder and harder time dismissing the chance as neighboring states start generating substantial revenue.
With New Mexico’s unique situation it will have the ability to observe how well sportsbooks do inside its own boundaries and utilize that information to create a decision on expanding state-wide laws.
If you reside in New Mexico, then be sure that you bookmark this page and wait to major developments that either help or harm the nation’s probability of introducing more gambling options.
To discover more about different parts of the nation, read our guides to legal US sports betting for every state.
New Mexico Online Sports Betting FAQs
Is sports gambling legal in New Mexico?
Yes, but only at one land-based casino. New Mexico is unique in contrast to other nations because while the government hasn’t legalized sports gambling, a legal loophole at the tribal-state compact enables it at tribal casinos.
Where can I bet on sports in New Mexico?
Currently the only location in New Mexico to put down a sports bets is at the Santa Ana Star Casino & Hotel sportsbook. However, there are rumors of a second tribal casino opening a sportsbook of their own in 2019.
If we see this occur in the upcoming year we’d logically deduce that more tribal casinos will follow suit afterwards.
What sports can I wager on in New Mexico?
It is possible to gamble on just about any game from North America and around the world such as NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, PGA golf, NCAA basketball and football, MMA, soccer, CFL, NASCAR, tennis and tons of baseball.
The only significant exception is that betting on NCAA games that involve New Mexico colleges is not permitted.
What sports are illegal to bet on in New Mexico?
Betting on high school sports isn’t allowed. Wagers can be made on NCAA sports with the exclusion of local New Mexican schools.
Is it illegal to bet using offshore sports gambling sites?
While US law doesn’t make gambling with offshore sportsbooks explicitly prohibited, we do not recommend it. We propose using the legal and licensed options available to you. In New Mexico right now that means betting in person at a tribal casino. Soon this may also consist of non-tribal sportsbooks and internet options.
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