Isleta Resort and Casino has outlined plans to offer sports betting in Albuquerque, in partnership with supplier USBookmaking.
Once up and running, it will be the third sportsbook available to bettors in the state, following the operations in Buffalo Thunder Resort, opened in March, and at Santa Ana Star Casino and Hotel, launched in October.
Santa Ana’s sportsbook is also supplied by Albuquerque-based USBookmaking, while Buffalo Thunder Resorts has partnered with the Las Vegas Dissemination Company (LVDC).
Sports betting remains unregulated in New Mexico, but a compact with the state allows tribal casinos to operate all forms of Class III gaming; Class III relates to any form of gaming that is not traditional tribal gaming (Class I) or games of chance (Class II).
Due to this compact, reports indicate bets will not be offered on games involving the University of New Mexico or New Mexico State University.
LVDC Director of Sales, Jay Vaccaro, spoke to Gambling Insider shortly after Buffalo Thunder Resort launched its sportsbook last year.
He said: “We’re confident the tribal compacts are strong enough and we’ve had our lawyers look at it. Many lawyers have done the same and the opinion is tribes are allowed to have Class III gaming, which includes sports betting.”
This initial announcement did not include a timeline for development and openings, with Isleta planning to release details in the near future.
