New Mexico Sports Betting
New Mexico sports betting launched in Fall 2018 when tribal gaming operators began opening retail sportsbooks at casinos.
New Mexico did not pass legislation to formally legalize sports betting, but tribal gaming operators contend their existing compacts with the state allow sports betting.
New Mexico authorities have declined to take a firm position on the issue of sports betting and appear content to allow tribal casinos to operate sportsbooks.
Online sports betting in New Mexico remains prohibited, however, as additional legislation would be needed to authorize online sportsbooks.
New Mexico online betting options are currently limited to parimutuel horse racing betting sites and daily fantasy sports apps.
Legal New Mexico Betting Sites
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21+ and present in New Mexico. T&Cs Apply. Gambling problem? Call 888-696-2440 or visit rganm.org.
New Mexico Sportsbook Locations
There is now five retail sportsbooks in New Mexico, each located within a Native American casino.
The first sportsbook opened in October 2018 and four others have followed suit since.
The current list of New Mexico sportsbooks now includes:
Albuquerque Sportsbooks
Santa Fe Sportsbooks
- (Sante Fe)
Other NM Sportsbooks:
- (Santa Ana Pueblo)
- (Mescalaro)
Legal New Mexico sports betting launched when the Pueblo of Santa Ana announced that they had reached a deal with sports betting services provider USBookmaking to begin taking wagers at the Santa Ana Star Casino & Hotel.
This news came as a surprise because there was no pending legislation at the time to authorize sports betting in New Mexico.
However, the tribe was able to open sportsbooks on its own due to a 2015 gaming compact with the state that authorizes Class III gaming, which the tribes say includes retail sports betting.
Under this interpretation of the law, tribal casinos didn’t need authorization from the state to offer sports betting on casino property.
Santa Ana Star Casino was the first to announce that it would begin taking sports wagers on Tuesday, October 16th, 2018.
Buffalo Thunder Casino just north of Santa Fe followed suit in March 2019 to become the second New Mexico sportsbook, just in time for March Madness.
Additional New Mexico sportsbooks have opened since then, despite lawmakers not formally authorizing sports betting.
Will Tribal Sportsbooks Prompt Lawmakers to Legalize Online Sports Betting in New Mexico?
There are no indications that New Mexico plans to pass legislation formally legalizing retail sportsbooks or online sports betting apps.
Currently, the state appears content with allowing the current New Mexico sports betting status quo to continue, and tribal casinos may continue to operate their sportsbooks.
In 2018, shortly before the sportsbook at the Santa Ana Star opened, the Office of the Attorney General commented that it would:
“closely monitor New Mexico’s tribal compacts and work with the legislature for proper statutory and regulatory oversight to require responsible gaming and enhanced integrity to create an even playing field for all.”
So far, New Mexico lawmakers haven’t passed regulatory legislation, and the Office of the Attorney General hasn’t shown an interest in taking legal action against tribal sportsbooks.
New Mexico Daily Fantasy Sports
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For now, New Mexico daily fantasy sports sites remain available and offer an experience close to sports betting for most sports fans.
FanDuel, DraftKings and other DFS sites accept customers from New Mexico based on their interpretation that New Mexico’s definition of gambling does not include fantasy sports.
Legislation was proposed to legalize DFS in New Mexico at one point, but the effort failed.
The Attorney General has also declined to issue an opinion.
As it stands now, fans have no problems signing up and playing at the best fantasy sites.
New Mexico Horse Racing Betting
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New Mexico is home to a vibrant horse racing industry with numerous race tracks in operation today that host some of the nation’s higher-echelon races.
For some perspective on the size of the industry, horse races in New Mexico support thousands of jobs across the state and are believed to contribute to the state’s economy between the many trainers, breeders, racetrack employees, and pari-mutuel wagering.
Online horse racing betting in New Mexico is also widely available via reputable and well-established operators.
Fans can read more about horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering in New Mexico:
New Mexico Online Gambling
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All gambling in New Mexico is considered illegal unless specifically permitted by law. This approach leaves no question about whether or not an activity in NM is legal. If it doesn’t take place at a licensed casino or racetrack, it is unlawful. This extends to the internet.
However, Sweepstakes gambling sites accept players from New Mexico and offer an experience very similar to online casinos.
The Gaming Control Board also makes it clear that social poker is illegal with the following text on its website:
Poker Games/Poker Tournaments/poker runs if money is paid for the opportunity to play and if money or prizes are being awarded as a result of the outcome of the game.
That same page also explains that online gambling in New Mexico is illegal.
Under the “internet gambling” heading, the Board explains that online wagering is illegal under federal law and that New Mexico does not license, regulate or authorize any form of online gambling.
Chapter 30 Article 19 of the New Mexico Statutes considers a “bet” to be:
“a bargain in which the parties agree that, dependent upon chance, even though accompanied by some skill, one stands to win or lose anything of value specified in the agreement.”
The same law continues to explain that someone is considered to be participating in gambling if that person places a bet or enters a facility with the intent of placing a bet.
Anyone caught participating in gambling as a player will be charged with a petty misdemeanor. The penalty for conviction includes a jail sentence not to exceed six months and a fine not to exceed $500.
It is a much more serious crime to operate a “commercial” gambling operation, which means taking a profit from operating a gambling place or assisting in the operation of such a place.
A charge of commercial gambling could get you a 4th-degree felony which is punishable by up to 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
Overall, New Mexico gambling laws are straightforward. There’s little room for interpretation and most forms of gambling are outlawed outside of authorized facilities.
New Mexico Online Lottery
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Must be 18 or older to play the lottery. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER. Please visit Terms of Service at Jackpocket.com for full terms of service.
The New Mexico Lottery was established by Senate Bill 853 in 1995. Since then, the lottery has helped send 90,000 students from NM attend public colleges and technical colleges with funds earned from ticket sales.
To date, the lottery has donated more than $616 million to education.
Customers can use authorized courier services to buy New Mexico Lottery tickets online from anywhere in state lines.
New Mexico Sports Betting FAQ
Wes Burns has more than a decade’s worth of experience as a writer, researcher and analyst in the legal gambling industry and is co-founder of ycgts.shop. As a former professional online poker player, Wes approaches his work from the viewpoint of players.