Online Casinos for players from New Mexico in 2024

Introduction

Talking about gambling in New Mexico, some forms are legal and regulated, while others are expressly prohibited. Local players are given quite a solid selection of options to choose from, among which are horse racing online, lottery, poker, and charitable gambling.

As a result of the compacts with the state, tribal casinos in New Mexico have a monopoly on various forms of gambling. More precisely, the compacts give them the right to offer all forms of casino-style game, which includes but is not limited to slot machines and gaming devices, casino-style card games such as poker, blackjack, craps, keno, wheel of fortune, pai gow and similar and lottery.

Sports betting is also present in the state, but there’s a catch. Players who want to take part in sports wagering can do so only in some of the tribal casinos that offer it. It is not possible to bet on sports online unless visiting an offshore betting platform that accepts clients from New Mexico.

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Is It Legal to Gamble Online in New Mexico?

According to the 31 U.S.C.A. §5361, Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, online gambling in any of the forms is strictly prohibited in the State of New Mexico. The local regulatory institutions do not authorize or approve any form of internet-based gambling.

Worth noting is that the New Mexico Gaming Control Board doesn’t sanction any form of online gambling either. This means that local players can play games on offshore gambling websites without legal consequences. Most of the online casinos that accept players from the United States are licensed by Curacao or Costa Rica.

Additionally, consumers can try luck with social casinos, which are getting more and more popular in the US. These platforms offer players a chance to experience casino-style games without making real money deposits. Social casinos have some sort of in-house tokens that are used to play games or take part in tournaments, but basically, players can enjoy playing games without depositing.

At the time of writing this page, fans of interactive gambling from New Mexico can legally gamble online on horse racing, and play real money DFS competitions in the state without breaking the local laws.

Which Online Casino Games Can Be Played in New Mexico?

As there are no locally licensed online casinos, online poker rooms, and online sports betting platforms, players from New Mexico stick with offshore gambling websites. Most popular US-friendly game developers include Realtime Gaming (RTG), Rival, BetSoft, Nucleus Gaming, Arrows Edge, Slotland, Dragon Gaming, Dragoon Soft, and a couple more.

Available in numerous volatility levels and payout percentages, as well as a wide range of betting options, slot games represent the most popular genre not only in New Mexico but worldwide. Giving providers lots of freedom to experiment, digital one-armed bandits are available in a variety of themes, features, and mechanics, which once again explain the ever-growing fan base.

Although not related to the online sector, there’s an interesting slot machine-related information to be mentioned. New Mexico residents can own a slot device, but only if it is manufactured by licensed providers and distributors.

If an individual purchases and transports the machine into New Mexico without first complying with State and Federal law, the machine will be forfeited and destroyed. Worth noting is that the homeowner of the slot machine cannot make a profit, but if they do, it becomes commercial gambling, which is a fourth-degree felony in the state.

Other than this, players who prefer games that require skills instead of luck stick with table games. No-commission baccarat, blackjack, craps, and pai gow are some of the favorite choices of players from New Mexico. These games are also extremely popular in the live dealer variant.

In case of social gambling platforms, the selection of games is more or less the same as with traditional casinos, but not as abundant. There’s a solid number of slot games, followed by a decent selection of table games and live dealer games.

Sports Betting in New Mexico

When it comes to the legality of sports betting in New Mexico, the situation is rather complex. Legal sports betting is available in tribal casinos due to the specific structure of their compacts with the state.

The Santa Ana Star Casino was the first to offer sports betting in New Mexico in October 2018. Other venues where sports betting is available include Thunder Racebook & Sportsbook at the Buffalo Thunder Casino in Santa Fe, the Casino Apache Sportsbook at the Casino Apache near the Inn of the Mountain Gods, BetMGM Sportsbook at Isleta Resort & Casino, and a couple of more.

Legal online or mobile betting is not yet live in the state. On top of that, wagering on sports teams in NM, including betting on local university teams is not permitted either.

Some of the sports teams players from New Mexico can bet on include:

• NFL: Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos
• NBA: Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets
• MLB: Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins
• NHL: Arizona Coyotes, Dallas Stars, Colorado Avalanche
• NCAA: University of New Mexico Lobos, New Mexico State Aggies

New Mexico Recommended Online Sports Books

New Mexico Gambling Regulator

The New Mexico Gaming Control Board (NMGCB) was created by the State Statute in 1997, and it started operating a year later after it was funded during the 1998 legislative session.

The Board is primarily tasked with regulating the locally licensed racetracks and veteran and fraternal organizations and monitoring New Mexico’s tribal gaming compacts. It is also in charge of investigating and enforcing violations of the laws and regulations that prohibit illegal gambling activities in the state.

This institution’s mission is to ensure integrity, transparency, and fairness of gaming activities throughout the state by combining legal frameworks and regulations, with continuous monitoring, and enforcement measures.

What’s even more, the New Mexico Gaming Control Board is dedicated to promoting responsible gaming practices. Aside from protecting the interests of all stakeholders, the institution aims to ensure a safe and enjoyable gaming environment for both locals and visitors.

Throughout the continuous education, the Board strives to maintain public trust, facilitate economic growth, and safeguard the well-being of the communities, while balancing the economic benefits of gaming with the social responsibilities.

Depositing and Withdrawing when in NM

If you’re curious to find out more about deposit/withdrawal and banking term rankings in casinos that accept players from New Mexico, check out the table below. By doing so, you will get deposit and withdrawal scores of each casino, to help you evaluate which place is the best for you.

Additionally, if you want to get an insight into payment information in other parts of the United States, take a look at deposit and withdrawal methods for the US players.

US-NM Online Casinos Deposit & Withdrawal Grades View All

Conclusion

Tribes hold a monopoly in the land-based gambling sector in New Mexico. This branch of the entertainment industry employs thousands of people and represents a stable source of revenue for the state. Funds generated are used to fund various sectors, among which education, day-care and health programs, veteran’s care, policing, fire protection, and many parks, roads, and bridges among other infrastructure projects.

Although online gambling, mobile gambling, and interactive sports betting are still not legal in the state, perhaps New Mexico could reconsider this and gradually approve it. After all, numerous US states have all sorts of online gambling forms up and running for quite some time, which confirms that the system can work just fine, if organized well and supervised on a regular basis.

Related Reading

LCB.org

New Mexico Gaming Control Board

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Written by: Michael Shackleford