If you’re looking to place a bet on your favorite sports team while in New Mexico, you’ll be happy to know that there are a number of Indian casinos that offer sports betting. In this blog post, we’ll list out which casinos offer sports betting, so you can choose the one that’s right for you.
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Introduction
New Mexico is one of the few states in the US that has yet to fully legalize sports betting. This is despite the fact that the state has a long history of gambling, with various forms of betting being permissible for many years. There are a number of reasons why New Mexico has not yet legalized sports betting, but the most likely reason is that the state’s Native American tribes have a monopoly on gambling in the state, and they have so far been unwilling to allow sports betting.
However, this may be about to change, as some of the state’s Native American tribes have recently expressed an interest in offer sports betting at their casinos. This would be a major development, as it would effectively open up sports betting to all residents of New Mexico.
At present, there are 12 Native American casinos in New Mexico, all of which are owned and operated by various tribes. If any of these casinos were to start offering sports betting, it would be a significant step forward for the legalization of sports betting in the state.
The following is a list of all 12 Native American casinos in New Mexico, along with their locations and contact information.
Santa Ana Star Casino
The Santa Ana Star Casino, located in Santa Ana Pueblo, just north of Albuquerque, is one of the first casinos in the state to offer sports betting. The casino opened its sportsbook on October 16, 2018, becoming the first tribal casino in New Mexico to do so. The Santa Ana Star Casino offers sports betting on a variety of sports, including football, basketball, baseball, and hockey.
Route 66 Casino
Route 66 Casino, located in Albuquerque, offers sports betting on a variety of professional and collegiate sports. Football, basketball, baseball, and hockey are among the sports you can bet on at Route 66 Casino.
Isleta Resort & Casino
Situated just south of Albuquerque, Isleta Resort & Casino is one of New Mexico’s most popular casinos. The property features over 2,000 slot machines, as well as a variety of table games, bingo, and a poker room. Isleta Resort & Casino also offers sports betting through its in-house sports book.
Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino
The Santa Ana Star Casino in Bernalillo is the only other Indian casino in New Mexico that offers sports betting.
The Pueblo of Pojoaque, which operates Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino in Santa Fe, has not yet announced whether it will offer sports betting.
Conclusion
As of right now, no New Mexico Indian casinos offer sports betting. The state does have a law on the books that would allow for it, but no tribe has yet to take advantage of the opportunity. There are a few reasons for this. First, the law requires that any tribe offering sports betting must already offer other forms of gambling, like casino games or horse racing. Second, the tribe must also have a compact with the state that specifically allows sports betting. So far, no tribe has been able to meet both of those requirements.
That could change in the future, though. There are several tribes currently in negotiations with the state over new compacts that would allow them to offer sports betting (as well as other forms of gambling). And there are also a few tribes considering building new casinos that would specifically meet the requirements for offering sports betting. So it’s possible that we could see some New Mexico Indian casinos offering sports betting in the near future.