Bill seeks to block New Mexico Lottery from sports betting

The New Mexico Lottery Authority could be prevented from offering legal sports betting services in the state by a new bill filed in the state legislature.

H 441, sponsored by Republican Representatives Jason Harper and Rod Montoya and Democrat Matthew McQueen, would permit the New Mexico Lottery to continue offering existing products, but block it from adding various other services, including sports betting or wagering on other real events.

The bill also seeks to prevent the New Mexico Lottery from offering any form of mobile gambling or video lottery games, including casino-style games such as blackjack, roulette and poker.

It goes beyond blocking online sales, and would also stop the Lottery from selling lottery tickets through a self-service device that is part of or shares a display with a retail petrol dispenser or an automated teller machine.

The bill has been assigned to the House State Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee. However, should it come into law, it would not impact tribal sports betting arrangements that are currently in place in New Mexico.

In October of last year, sports betting technology provider USBookmaking struck up a partnership with Santa Ana Star Casino near Albuquerque to begin offering sports wagering, despite the state having not legalised sports betting.

The casino is operated by the Tamaya Nation at the Pueblo of Santa Ana under the jurisdiction of tribal gaming laws. A tribal gaming compact between the state and tribes covers Class III gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, which encompasses sports wagering.

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