Is Online Sports Betting Legal in New Mexico?

Legal sports betting has arrived at New Mexico.
Although there are now no options to set bets online, players at NM can gamble online sports in person in 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 action. With a single tribal casino accepting bets, and more expressing interest in doing the same, we expect the country to take steps towards greater widespread legalization in 2019.
In this comprehensive guide to legal sports betting in New Mexico we’ll take a close look at the recent laws in the state and that which we expect to occur in the not too distant future. We’ll explain where in New Mexico you can make bets and what sports you can gamble on.
Finally, we’ll explore the daily fantasy sports gambling situation in the country and answer some of the most frequently asked questions about New Mexico sports betting.
Best Legal Betting Websites in New Mexico
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New Mexico Sports Betting at a Glance
New Mexico has become the sixth country to legalize sports gambling since the 2018 US Supreme Court decision to strike down a federal ban online sports gambling that had been in effect since 1992. New Mexico joins Delaware, Mississippi, New Jersey, Nevada, and West Virginia as part of their first wave of countries to offer legal gambling options.
New Mexico’s situation is exceptional, however. Unlike the other states on that list, New Mexico saw a tribal casino start taking bets on sports prior to any official state legislation was passed.
The Santa Ana Star Casino & Hotel, located on the land of the Pueblo of Santa Ana Tamaya Nation tribe accepted its first bets in October of 2018. The streamlined that New Mexico has the tribe allows all forms of gambling which meant it was free to offer sports gambling following the US Supreme Court decision.
The country of New Mexico has not officially introduced laws to legalize sports betting but many industry experts believe it will happen soon since sports gambling is already available in the country through the casino.
The Recent Online Sports Betting Situation in New Mexico
There’s a lot happening in New Mexico sports betting and we want to highlight a few key details before we get into more detail:
Just one casino provides sports gambling and currently does not have mobile or online wagering.
There are rumors that a second tribal casino, the Inn of the Mountain Gods that’s run by the Mescalero Apache tribe, even in Ruidoso, will open another sportsbook in 2019.
Pueblo of Santa Ana Gambling Regulatory Commission will oversee sports gambling activity.
Operations will be handled by Las Vegas-based USBookmaking.
First betting limits are $5 minimum, $500 maximum per bet.
No wagering allowed on New Mexico or New Mexico State NCAA sports.
In case you haven’t discovered, the recent Supreme Court decision was a complete game-changer in the United States sports gambling industry.
What exactly happened and how does it impact 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 online sports gambling. That law, known as the skilled and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), basically prohibited sports gambling everywhere in the USA except for Nevada.
Eliminating PASPA gave every state the opportunity to make its own laws online sports gambling to decide if it should be allowed and in what form. Four nations united Nevada straight off the bat. New Mexico, being the sixth largest in the country, has gone about it in a different way than all of the rest.
As a result of loophole in their compact with local tribal bands that neither prohibits or sanctions legal sports betting, the Santa Ana tribe can and has lawfully established sports betting on its land in an unheralded manner. Details of said loophole can be found at the section below.
New Mexico Sports Betting Laws Summary
The biggest gap between New Mexico and other states is a specific region of the arrangement that the nation made using the Pueblo of Santa Ana Tamaya Nation tribe regarding gaming.
It says that Class III gambling is allowed which includes both sports gambling and pari-mutuel wagering.
A transcript in the countries that are compact:
The Tribe may run, just on Indian Lands, subject to all the terms and conditions of this Compact, any or all forms of casino-style gambling, including but not restricted 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; blackjack; craps; keno; wheel of fortune; pai gow; and other games played casino configurations; and any kind of a lottery.
Details of the present standing are as follows:
First state to take bets without official state legislature regulating sports gambling.
Tribal-State compact allows all types of Class III gaming.
Sports gambling and pari-mutuel wagering are included in Class III gambling.
Betting on all significant sports and NCAA with the exclusion of college teams in 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 old to gamble anywhere in casino.
The History of Online Sports Betting at New Mexico
If you love gaming New Mexico has been a wonderful place to live for a long time, since the late 1940s in reality. You will find both tribal and state-based casinos as well as many horse racing tracks.
New Mexico’s scenario is interesting because of their progressive approach to overturning old regulations and laws. Let’s look at a few of the most historical gambling minutes from the country’s past.
1947 – Legalization of horse racing. First legal Pari-Mutuel Horse race gambling starts at Hollywood park – now called Ruidoso Park.
1978 – Charity gaming and bingo hailed for elders to get smaller bets. Not for benefit of organizers.
1988 – Governor refuses to sign deals for 1988 Federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. Loses subsequent election.
1990 – New officials of state government re-negotiates compacts with Native Tribes,
1995 – Tribal compacts become law. New casinos created. Horse racing tracks allowed to feature slot machines as part of this bargain so as to compete with casinos.
1995 – New Mexico lottery created.
2011 – Albuquerque Downs Casino opens, becoming the first non-tribal casino.
October 16, 2018 – The first legal sports wager is placed in New Mexico at the Santa Ana Star Casino & Hotel sportsbook.
The very first bet was a $30 moneyline bet placed on the Houston Astros to defeat the Boston Red Sox. The ticket dropped.
Even though New Mexicans have appreciated a more progressive stance on gambling as a whole in recent decades, these new developments are sure to bring much more local interest. Considering that the casino and sportsbook remain private and owned by the tribal nation, it is unknown what type of earnings will visit the state.
Tax revenue and public demand are the two largest factors that push state lawmakers into actions and New Mexico seems to have both of these covered.
Which Online Sports Betting Sites are Legal in New Mexico?
You can’t make any sports bets on line in New Mexico, yet. For the reason there are currently no online sportsbooks offered from the state.
The following is by the tribal/state compact and suggests that online gambling is a chance but might require the nation to legalize online gaming and make an amendment to the streamlined:
“In case online gaming is approved within the State, the State and the Tribe agree that they will reopen decent faith negotiations to evaluate the impact, if any, of internet gambling and consider adjustments to the Compact. The parties agree and understand it is not feasible to determine at this time what, if any, adjustments to the Compact will be necessary.”
Right now there is only the option to place stakes in person at one of those four kiosks within 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’s still unknown when and if online gambling on sports will soon be available in New Mexico but for this very first sportsbook already running the future seems bright.
Sports gambling, specifically online sports betting, is a massive money maker and New Mexico is poised to reap the benefits if they proceed with legalization in 2019.
What Sports Can You Bet Online at New Mexico?
In the Santa Ana Star Casino & Hotel sportsbook you can bet on all major sports and many less popular non-marquee sports. It is likely to bet on NCAA sports with the exception of games that involve New Mexico-based collegiate teams.
So unfortunately for fans of the New Mexico University Lobos or the New Mexico State Aggies, watching the match without gambling 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 matches that don’t include New Mexico teams
Minor league sports
The Way to Bet on Sports Legally in New Mexico
To place sports bets at the Santa Ana Star sportsbook you have to be of legal gaming age that’s 21.
As they do not have nor operate through a mobile app, it isn’t required to register for an account so as to place a bet. If they do pose a cell option, simply stick to the sportsbook app’s instructions to install and fund your accounts.
The Santa Ana Star has a dedicated sportsbook which has 24/7 betting kiosks and live cashier clerks working from noon to 8pm on weekdays and 7am to 10pm on weekends.
Putting bets using the kiosk or directly in the cashier is simple. All you have to know is the game that you would like to wager on, the kind of bet that you need to create and how much you want to bet. Either enter the info using a kiosk or tell the clerk.
Either way you will obtain a betting slip that you may use to redeem your payout if the bet is a winner.
Is Betting on Fantasy Sports Legal in New Mexico?
Yes, betting on daily fantasy sports betting is legal in New Mexico.
It’s legal for individuals in New Mexico to play on all the major DFS sites such as DraftKings and FanDuel.
Locals may be certain that playing DFS for real cash is safe and secure as DFS wagering is controlled by the Fantasy Sports Trade Association and the US Gaming Commission.
What’s the Future of Online Sports Betting at New Mexico?
Technically speaking, we’re halfway there since sports gambling is offered from the state, albeit in person. That’s a fantastic first step.
Although New Mexico has taken an alternate path to legal sports betting, the fact that it already exists in the state is very good reason to think it will enlarge and grow over time.
When and if this does occur we shall certainly see mobile and online sports betting available in the state.
What occurs throughout 2019 will be very telling as much as what we can expect along with the sportsbook at the Santa Ana Star Casino.
We know that another casino, the Inn of the Mountain Gods, in Ruidoso, is anxious to join the mix. Another casino sportsbook would only serve to add momentum to what’s currently building.
There are more steps involved with making online sports gambling legal. The present legislation might have to be altered and the tribal compacts in the country will have to be renegotiated. Check back on this page soon for any developments as they occur.
Recap: Legal New Mexico Sports Betting Arrives
The developments in New Mexico have shown a brand new way that sports betting may be available in different states, even if those states have not passed pro-sports gambling legislation.
People in New Mexico are already enjoying reside lawful betting on tribal land and experts predict the state authorities will be taking a serious look for an official piece of legislation in 2019.
Like any other state questioning if to make a legal sports betting industry New Mexico is going to get a harder and harder time ignoring the opportunity as neighboring countries begin generating significant earnings.
With New Mexico’s unique circumstances it will have the ability to observe how nicely sportsbooks do inside its own borders and use that information to make a decision on enlarging state-wide laws.
If you reside in New Mexico, then make certain that you bookmark this page and check back for major developments that either help or hurt the nation’s chances of introducing more gambling options.
To discover more about different areas of the country, read our guides to legal US sports gambling for each nation.
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 compared to other states because while the government hasn’t legalized sports betting, a legal loophole at the tribal-state compact allows for it at tribal casinos.
Where do I bet on sports in New Mexico?
Presently the only location in New Mexico to lay down a sports stakes is at the Santa Ana Star Casino & Hotel sportsbook. However, there are rumors of another tribal casino opening a sportsbook of the own in 2019.
If we see this happen in the upcoming year we’d logically deduce that more tribal casinos will follow lawsuit later.
What sports can I wager on in New Mexico?
It is possible to gamble on just about any sport from North America and around the world such as NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, PGA golf, NCAA football and basketball, MMA, football, CFL, NASCAR, tennis and plenty of baseball.
The only major exception is that gambling on NCAA games which involve New Mexico schools is not allowed.
What sports are illegal to wager on in New Mexico?
Betting on high school sports isn’t permitted. Wagers can be made on NCAA sports together with the exclusion of local New Mexican schools.
Is it illegal to wager using offshore sports betting websites?
While US law doesn’t make betting with offshore sportsbooks explicitly illegal, we don’t recommend it. We propose using the authorized and licensed alternatives available to you. In New Mexico right now that means gambling in person at a tribal casino. Soon this may also consist of non-tribal sportsbooks and online options.

Read more: montanayouthrugby.org