New Mexico often gets bunched into the category of not having legal sports betting, but that’s not the truth. The southwestern state does take in bets, but probably not in the way most bettors are accustomed to or want.

We explain New Mexico’s somewhat unique betting situation in this guide. We’ve learned everything there is to know about the state’s gambling policies — beyond sports betting too — and are dumping it out for you. Six to seven minutes to learn the ins and outs of betting in New Mexico so keep reading!

Is Sports Betting Legal In New Mexico?

Betting on sports is legal, but it’s very, very limited. Only tribal casinos have the right to offer sports betting within state borders. Not only that, but the betting must be done inside their casinos — there is no online component. This betting situation came out of a compact agreement between the tribes and the state government. There was no bill or vote to be made, only a compact between the two sides.

There are more than a dozen tribal casinos located around the state. Of these, only six have chosen to offer sports betting in their facilities.

The question is, will Mew Mexico ever expand its betting, and allow non-tribal casinos to offer it? It’s not likely if we’re being honest. We wouldn’t count on commercial apps like BetMGM or FanDuel entering the state UNLESS they partner with the casinos. The tribes are sitting on a golden goose egg with sports betting exclusivity and will fight tooth and nail to make sure their compacts keep them the sole providers.

Legal Online Sportsbooks Available In New Mexico

The following six New Mexico casinos currently have sportsbooks inside their facilities:

  • Santa Ana Star Casino Hotel (near Albuquerque, NM)
  • Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino (near Santa Fe, NM)
  • Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino (Mescalero, NM)
  • Isleta Resort & Casino (south of Albuquerque, NM)
  • Route 66 Casino Hotel (near Albuquerque, NM)
  • Hilton Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder (Santa Fe, NM)

New Mexico Online Sportsbook Comparison

Typically we like comparing and contrasting the online sportsbooks, but there is none here. As mentioned, these sportsbooks are strictly in-person — no online component whatsoever.

It doesn’t make much sense to compare the sportsbooks. Where you end up going should be almost entirely based on your location. Obviously, if you’re in the Santa Fe area, it makes sense to visit the two local establishments — not the locations all the way in Albuquerque.

New Mexico Quick Facts

FactNew Mexico
Launch date:2018
Legal age:21
Online sports betting❌No
Number of licenses6
Remote registration❌No
Retail sportsbooks✅ Yes
Retail casinos✅ Yes
Online casino sites❌No
Online poker❌No
Betting on college sports"✅ Yes
Betting on esports❌No
State population2 million
State regulatorNew Mexico Gaming Control Board
Last verified"✅ September 9

What You Can’t Bet On In New Mexico?

Here are a few things that you will NOT be able to bet at New Mexico sportsbooks:

College player props: All prop bets tied to individual college players are prohibited in the state. All of it — not just on local teams. A player could be starting for the Longhorns, but it would still be off limits in New Mexico.

Non-sports events: Putting money on political elections, outcomes of entertainment shows and movies, or even the results of WWE are strictly off limits at tribal sportsbooks. This is because they are not true sporting events.

Offshore sportsbooks offer a tantalizing alternative in New Mexico. For one, these betting sites allow online betting to happen anywhere and everywhere inside the state, tribal land be damned. Not only that, but they offer more betting markets and bonuses than these native casinos could ever dream of. We’d give them a serious look if you’re a New Mexico bettor who doesn’t want to be restricted all that much while betting in-state.

Who Can Legally Bet In New Mexico?

We get it, there are a lot of things you can NOT do betting-wise in New Mexico. Like we said at the start, things are very limited. But at the very least, bettors can know the following things are allowed just fine inside the state:

Legal age: 21 is the usual minimum age for sports bets. However, tribes typically allow betting at 18, which is the case in New Mexico.

Retail sportsbooks: As mentioned before, all betting must be done inside tribal casinos. There are six casinos that have put up sportsbooks in their locations.

Taxable winnings: Any earnings from betting are subject to both federal and state taxes because it’s counted as income. Too bad bettors can’t do the opposite and write off losses cause that would make too much sense…

New Mexico Casinos and Sportsbooks

We already mentioned which casinos currently have sportsbooks. How about the ones that don't now — but could in the future? Here's a massive list of ones that can eventually get things going:

  • 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

New Mexico Sports Betting Timeline

Sports betting went live in New Mexico as soon as the federal ban on it was removed by the Supreme Court in 2018. Here's how that happened:

Tribal Casinos and Betting In New Mexico

New Mexico is home to over 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.

Expaning Sports Gambling In New Mexico

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.

A 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.

How To Bet On Sports In New Mexico?

Tribal sportsbooks might be limited in where you’re allowed to bet, but less so on betting markets. Pretty much all the major sports and leagues will have betting lines available. Getting action on more obscure things like cricket or rugby will be harder to come by, but the following sports are well-supported in the sportsbook:

How To Bet On Football In New Mexico?

Of course, football betting is available at tribal casinos. Not offering it would be an admission they don’t like making money because in New Mexico, like the rest of the country, football is king. The king of mindshare and yes, king of betting. Tribal casinos know this and readily offer betting on it during the season, including the Super Bowl finale, which is the most bet-on sports event of the whole year.

How To Bet On Basketball In New Mexico?

Basketball is the second-biggest sport in terms of betting activity. And it’s not just NBA either. During March, the NCAA Tournament surpasses the NBA in betting and viewing interest. This is especially the case in New Mexico if a local area team — either the Lobos or Aggies — make it to the Big Dance, which they commonly do. It might be worth experiencing the first weekend of March Madness in a sportsbook. It’s truly a must-have moment as a bettor.

How To Bet On Baseball In New Mexico?

Out of all the sports to bet on in New Mexico, if there’s one to really master, it HAS to be baseball, doesn’t it? The reason is obvious: it offers the most betting chances of all — perfect for keeping the fun going or even the profits trickling in. For half of the year, there’s baseball betting almost every day. Not only that but hundreds of them once you factor in props.

How To Bet On Fighting In New Mexico?

There are few things in sports quite like a big-time fight, whether that’s in boxing or UFC. When two greats meet in the middle of a ring Gladiator-style, it just unleashes man’s primal instincts and betting ones too. New Mexico casinos will regularly offer up the odds on these fights, plus the smaller bouts too. UFC and boxing have fight cards almost every weekend so it’s not just the big title fights that are betting opportunities. Bettors that can dig deeper can find gems.

Betting On New Mexico Teams

While Albuquerque and Santa Fe are fine cities, they are not nearly big enough to have professional sports teams in them. This leaves the state with zero professional sports teams in the “Big Four” leagues, and heck, even MLS.

Most of the locals support teams in neighboring states — either Arizona or Texas. New Mexico is sandwiched in between both. So you’ll see you’re fair share of Dallas Cowboys or Phoenix Suns fans depending on what part of the state you’re in. Either way, all these major teams are easy to find at New Mexico sportsbooks.

Betting On New Mexico NCAA Teams

There's a pair of division I programs in the state — the University of New Mexico Lobos and the New Mexico State Aggies. The Lobos are more high-ranking sports-wise since they play in the Mountain West while the Aggies are in the smaller Conference USA. Basketball is both program’s strong suit.

When they compete with one another, the feud is referred to as the “Battle of I-25” or the “Rio Grande Rivalry.” Those matchups are always betting attractions so get ready to choose your side when the time comes.

New Mexico Betting Revenue Statistics

Since the tribes control betting in the state, getting accurate numbers on revenues is hard. Unlike states who have to report revenues and tax earnings, tribes do not. More often than not, they choose to keep the numbers to themselves.

So we have no earthly way of proving the following numbers, but we’ll cite them anyway. According to the American Gaming Association, New Mexico gaming grossed $861 million in 2016. Yes, 2016 — those were the only numbers available.

See what we mean? Getting a handle (pun intended) on the in-state betting scene is hard, if not impossible. We’ll just have to use our imagination on this one.

Other Types Of Betting In New Mexico

Sure, sports betting is now a thing for these tribal casinos, but make no mistake about it, the big money for them remains in casino gaming. The majority of its revenues come from Vegas-style casino games they offer like blackjack, roulette, slots, and so forth. This is why several casinos have yet to even build out a sportsbook — that’s baby money compared to the casino games.

Outside of tribal betting, New Mexico also runs a state lottery. It’s all the usual games here, such as national draw games (Powerball and Mega Millions), as well as scratch-off tickets and state-specific draws.

An offshoot of regular sports betting is horses and daily fantasy sports. Both of those are fully legal in the state. Both these can be wagered online too.

Sports Betting Rules In Each State

New Mexico is one of 50 different guides we’ve written. That’s right, we have a detailed guide for every single state in the country. We’ve linked everything below if you want to learn more about other state policies:

Responsible Gaming In New Mexico

It wouldn’t be responsible of us not to mention the potential risks of betting. While yes, betting can be a fun hobby and, at times, a profitable one, if left unchecked, it can spiral into financial problems, stress, and even addiction.

There are early warning signs that can indicate things are moving in the wrong direction, and they aren’t always easy to spot. Here are a few key red flags to look for in yourself or your friends:

  • Chasing losses: Increasing bets in an attempt to win back money lost on previous wagers.
  • Betting with money you can't afford to lose: Using funds meant for essentials like rent, bills, or groceries.
  • Constant preoccupation with betting: Spending too much time thinking about or planning bets, or dwelling on past wins and losses.
  • Escalating risk: Gradually increasing the size of your bets to maintain excitement.

If you notice any of these signs in yourself or others, taking action early is important — before these habits can took root in your mind. The good thing is New Mexico offers various resources for anyone needing help with gambling-related issues. Here are a couple of options to start with:

New Mexico Council on Problem Gambling (http://www.nmcpg.org/)

This organization provides free and confidential counseling services for problem gamblers. Their helpline, 1-800-572-1142, is available 24/7 for those needing immediate assistance.

Gamblers Anonymous New Mexico (http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/ga/locations)

Gamblers Anonymous offers support groups throughout New Mexico where individuals can share experiences and seek help in a safe and confidential environment.

National resources are available too:

Gambling Addiction Support Network (https://www.gamblingaddictionsupport.org/)

A non-profit organization providing resources and support for individuals struggling with gambling addiction.

Center for Responsible Gaming (https://www.centerforresponsiblegaming.org/)

The Center for Responsible Gaming (CRG) is a research institution dedicated to promoting safe gambling practices and addressing gambling-related issues.

24/7 Gambling Support Line (https://www.gamblinghelponline.org/24-7-helpline)

A round-the-clock helpline offering immediate assistance and guidance for those experiencing gambling-related problems."