Will New Mexico Adopt Mobile Sports Betting?
New Mexico - one of the first U.S. states to begin offering legal, regulated sports betting - also has been one of the most-overlooked states in the national discussion.
That's because there were no contentious statehouse hearings with debating legislators, nor any need to work out a deal with the state's tribes.
Several tribes simply read the details of their compacts with the state, and concluded that they already had the right to offer sports betting.
According to each compact, the tribes can offer "all forms of casino-style gaming, including but not limited to slot machines and other forms of electronic gaming devices; all forms of poker, blackjack and other casino-style card games, both banked and unbanked; roulette; craps; keno; wheel of fortune; pai gow; and other games played in casino settings; and any form of a lottery.”
So in October 2018 - just five months after the U.S. Supreme Court voided a 26-year-old federal law that they found unconstitutionally "commandeered" states into doing Congress's bidding in enforcing its sports betting law - the Pueblo of Santa Ana tribe opened a sportsbook at its Santa Ana Star Casino.
The New Mexico legislature has never objected to the interpretation of the tribes.
The state currently has five retail tribal casinos offering sports betting, including Santa Ana. The others are the Isleta Resort & Casino and the Route 66 Casino (Caesars) in the greater Albuquerque area; the Thunder Race and Sportsbook at Hilton Buffalo Thunder in Sante Fe; and the Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort & Casino on the Mescalero Apache Reservation.
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Lost mobile sports betting revenue opportunity for tribes is discussed
In late June 2026, state Rep. John Block spoke at an Indian Affairs Committee meeting and suggested that the tribes consider adding mobile sports betting to their menu.
In most states that have legal sports betting both in-person and online, the latter option produces more than 90% of the total sportsbook revenue and a similar ratio of tax dollars.
Unlike in-person sports betting on tribal lands which clearly is permitted, adding a mobile option likely would require a renegotiation of the tribal compacts with the states.
“It would be really nice, at least, to get some more revenue for people - because if people are already here operating in the state illegally online, then that robs you, it robs us, it robs every single New Mexican of that tax revenue,” said Block, who estimated the lost revenue at "tens of millions of dollars annually."
The tribes reported $230 million in net casino revenue overall in the first three months of 2026 to the New Mexico Gaming Control Board, with more than $20 million generated for the state's general fund per terms of the compacts.
The Mescalero Apache Tribe's gaming compact with the state doesn't expire until 2037, and an attorney for the tribe told the committee she is not aware of any current discussion about amending the compact.
The state legislature, the Governor, tribal leaders, and the U.S. Interior Department all would have to agree on any new terms in the arrangement.
“Mescalero, at this point, has not discussed reopening the compact for negotiation, but it is definitely something that we’re looking at, and something that we are concerned about,” said tribe general counsel Nelca Cervantes during the hearing.
New Mexico has considered expanding sports betting
There are five "racinos" - horse racing tracks that also feature other gambling options - in New Mexico.
In 1997, New Mexico lawmakers allowed those sites to feature electronic gaming devices under limited conditions.
The sites can only include up to 750 such machines, and no traditional casino table game play such as craps, baccarat, or roulette is permitted. An unusual feature is that the devices can only be in operation when live or simulcasted horse races in other locations are being held.
In 2021, the state legislature discussed allowing the racinos to add a sportsbook to their menu - but the discussion quickly stalled.
The racinos are: The Downs Racetrack and Casino in Albuquerque; Black Gold Casino at Zia Park in Hobbs; Ruidoso Downs Billy The Kid Casino in Lincoln County; Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino near El Paso; and Sunray Park and Casino in Farmington.
As for casinos, there are 27 of them, operated by a total of 14 tribes. The opportunity is there for more tribes to add a sportsbook to their list of gambling options if they so desire.
