New Mexico is home to plenty of sports bettors, and even before they were the sixth state with legalized sports betting, punters were traveling across the border to bet on sports in Mexico parlors. The number of sports bettors traveling to Mexico has gone down drastically since October 2018, when the first casino, the Santa Ana Star in Albuquerque, began offering sports bets.
Table of Contents
New Mexico Sports Betting Timeline Can I bet on sports in New Mexico? New Mexico Casinos and Sportsbooks Betting on New Mexico Sports Teams Top Online Sportsbooks for Betting in New MexicoA Brief Timeline of the Legality of New Mexico Sports Betting
2024
- January 11, 2024 – Anticipation builds among state bettors and major firms as Super Bowl LVIII approaches.
2023
- December 31, 2023 – Robust profits reported throughout the year as we transition into 2024.
- November 28, 2023 – The adoption of new app technology fuels the growth of mobile sports betting in NM.
- March 14, 2022 – US Casinos experience their best month ever in March, raking in $5.3 billion.
- February 12, 2022 – Examination of how sports betting contributes to the rise of predatory gambling.
- January 17, 2022 – Public gaming companies emerge as significant winners in the state of New Mexico.
New Mexico Sports Betting Timeline
Sports Betting in Mexico has never been legal in the state, but we take a look at the history of legality.
Tribal Casinos and Betting In New Mexico
New Mexico is home to nearly 30 tribal casinos and several state-licensed horse racing tracks that also house casinos. So, how did the Santa Ana Star Casino get to offer sports betting so soon without the state actually going through the tedious legalization processes?
In their pre-existing gaming compact with the state, the Santa Ana Star had permission to offer any type of Class III Gaming, where sports betting falls, so even though sports betting isn’t mentioned in any gaming compacts, it’s implied that it’s covered as a Class III act. As soon as the PASPA ruling was appealed in May 2018, sports betting was allowed at New Mexico tribal casinos.
Gambling In New Mexico In 2021
There are more tribal casinos opening up sportsbooks on their properties, and we expect more and more to pop up. As for non-tribal casinos, or an online sports betting option, a bill would need to be passed - and there are none in the works right now. As of 2021, New Mexico's gambling is fully operational with many betting opportunities available for customers across the entire state.
While gambling within casinos in the state is legal, sports betting still isn't legal online and bettors must look elsewhere for their online gambling. Often bettors will use offshore sports betting sites and apps to find their sports odds and markets.
Can I bet on sports in New Mexico?
Yes, there are four tribal casinos who offer in-person sports betting in New Mexico. There are at least eight casinos with plans to open up sportsbooks in their venues in the next year or two.
| Sportsbook | Available In New Mexico |
|---|---|
| FanDuel | ❌ |
| DraftKings | ❌ |
| Caesars | ❌ |
| FoxBet | ❌ |
| BetRivers | ❌ |
| BetMGM | ❌ |
| PointsBet | ❌ |
| UniBet | ❌ |
If there isn’t a sportsbook near you, and visiting a land-based sportsbook is out of the question, online offshore sportsbooks are a possibility as well. There are plenty of options that are safe and reliable, and easy to use when it comes to online sportsbooks. You can sign up and start betting within minutes, the hardest part is choosing a sportsbook that suits your needs.
New Mexico Casinos and Sportsbooks
The following four casinos currently are active sportsbooks that offer sports betting in their casinos:
- Santa Ana Star Casino in Santa Ana Pueblo, NM
- The Sportsbook at the Inn of the Mountain Gods in Mescalero, NM
- Hilton Buffalo Thunder Sportsbook in Pojoaque Pueblo, NM
- Isleta Resort and Casino Sportsbook in Isleta Pueblo, NM
With 30 tribal casinos in the state, there are plenty of potential sportsbook locations that could offer sports betting in the near future:
- Apache Nugget Casino in Cuba, NM
- Billy The Kid Casino in Ruidoso, NM
- Camel Rock Casino in Tesuque Pueblo, NM
- Casino Apache Travel Center in Mescalero, NM
- Casino Hollywood in San Felipe, NM
- Cities of Gold Casino in Pojoaque Pueblo, NM
- Cities of Gold Sports Bar in Pojoaque Pueblo, NM
- Dancing Eagle Casino in Casa Blanca, NM
- Downs at Albuquerque Racino in Albuquerque, NM
- Fire Rock Navajo Casino, in Church Rock, NM
- Kicks 66/Convenience Store and Phillips 66 Service in Santa Fe, NM
- Northern Edge Navajo Casino in Fruitland, NM
- Ohkay Casino Resort in San Juan Pueblo, NM
- Palace West Casino in Isleta, NM
- Route 66 Casino in Laguna Pueblo, NM
- Route 66 Casino Express in Laguna Pueblo, NM
- Sandia Casino in Sandia Pueblo, NM
- Santa Claran Hotel and Casino in Espanola, NM
- Sky City Casino in Acoma, NM
- Sun Ray Park and Casino in Farmington, NM
- Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino in Sunland Park, NM
- Taos Mountain Casino in Taos, NM
- Wild Horse Casino in Dulce, NM
- Zia Park Casino, Hotel and Racetrack in Hobbs, NM
Betting on New Mexico Sports Teams
The only real sports team that New Mexico is known for is its New Mexico State Aggies college basketball program. They’ve been around for 110 seasons, and are known across the country, though they’ve never won a national championship. They usually can make it to the second round, but usually not much further than that.
Gambling on in-state collegiate programs isn’t allowed at local sportsbooks.
Top Online Sportsbooks for Betting in New Mexico
If you choose to bet on an online sportsbook, there are plenty of options available, too many in fact. You need to do your research before signing up at an online sportsbook because many are different, and have different options, regulations, and conditions, so you want to ensure you know what you’re signing up for, and if they have certain criteria that you need.
Some people look for certain deposit options or if the sportsbook has a mobile app, and it’s good to know that a sportsbook has that before you sign up. This is where sportsbook reviews come in handy. Many bettors read several sportsbook reviews before signing up at an online sportsbook.
If you are looking for some comprehensive sportsbook reviews, check out our sportsbook review section.
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