USBookmaking’s latest sportsbook offering at Santa Ana Star Casino & Hotel in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico, will go live on Tuesday this week. The casino sports book will serve the Albuquerque market and is located at one of the top three New Mexico casinos in terms of annual revenue.
While New Mexico has yet to formally legalize sports betting, the casino is operated by the Tamaya Nation at the Pueblo of Santa Ana under the jurisdiction of tribal gaming laws which encompass sports wagering.
The sportsbook, which offers live wagering on professional and college sporting events from four betting stations, is a first for New Mexico. However, there are some exceptions that bettors will need to take note of. Casino hotel CEO John Cirrincione explained: “We are planning to take bets on all major professional and collegiate sports with the exception of UNM and New Mexico State. Although we believe there would be interest on betting on local teams, we believe it best not to take bets on these teams.”
He added: “We are extremely proud of the fact that Santa Ana Star Casino Hotel is the first tribal casino in the state of New Mexico, and one of the first in the nation, to launch a sportsbook. The Tribal-State Compact allows tribal casinos in New Mexico to operate all forms of Class III gaming. Sports betting is Class III gaming. The Pueblo of Santa Ana is a sovereign nation with its own laws allowing all forms of Class III gaming in its casino.”
The sports book will operate Monday through Friday, noon to 8 p.m. and on weekends 7 am to 10 pm. Two self-service kiosks will be available during off-hours. No alcohol will be served in the sports book area, just like the gaming floor itself, but Cirrincione says major sporting events will continue to be shown at other areas around the casino, as they are now.
Vic Salerno, president of USBookmaking, said: “We have found that there is tremendous demand for a Nevada-style retail sports book operation in a multitude of casinos throughout the US. We specialize in the ability to get to market quickly and operate efficiently. We have carved out a unique position where we are a very attractive service provider to the many independent casino operations that exist today.”
