Best Casinos in New Mexico

Rachel Elam | February 28, 2020 | Updated on: August 28th, 2020

Casinos in New Mexico are pretty popular, so much so that the horse racing scene has seen a decline since the introduction of these venues. If casinos don’t make you all that excited, there are loads of other gambling options available to US players living in the state, including lottery games, charity games, daily fantasy sports betting and horse racing.

Below we are about to go through all you need to know about gambling in the Land of Enchantment, including a brief look at their gambling laws, the types of gambling available and the locations of Indian casinos. So, what are you waiting for? Begin an exciting gambling journey in the great state of New Mexico today!

Top Online Casinos in NM

1

 

$5500 Bonus

7.9

$5,500 BONUS

Play Now Cafe Casino

Rating: 4/5

• 24/7 live chat and telephone customer service

• Play on any mobile and desktop device

• Bitcoin supported

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Cafe Casino

 

2

 

$5000 Bonus

9.8

$5,000 BONUS

Play Now Wild Casino

Rating: 4/5

Our Top Choice

• 90% Cost coverage, no annual limit

• Easy, straightforward claims process

• No annual or lifetime limits

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Wild Casino

 

3

 

$5000 Bonus

8.2

$5,000 BONUS

Play Now High Country

Rating: 5/5

• Great selection of casino games

• Wide variety and selection of bonuses

• All licensed vets are covered

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High Country Casino

 

4

 

$5000 Bonus

7.6

$5000 BONUS

Play Now Vegas Aces

Rating: 5/5

• 24/7 customer support available

• SSL encryption

• Proven fair by TST

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Vegas Aces

 

5

 

$3000 Bonus

9.4

$3,000 BONUS

Play Now Lucky Hippo Casino

Rating: 4/5

• Up to 90% reimbursement

• VetConnect™ 24/7 helpline

• Save 40% for eligible multiple bets

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Lucky Hippo Casino

 

6

 

$10000 Bonus

7.1

$10,000 BONUS

Play Now Sun Palace

Rating: 4/5

• Great range of RTG slot machines.

• Reliable and experienced gaming operator.

• Networked RTG progressive jackpots.

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Sun Palace

 

The Full List of Casino Sophus

Gambling Laws

Gambling Laws in New Mexico may seem a little confusing but it really isn’t. The law states that all forms of gambling are illegal unless exempted. Currently, that means the following for the listed industry role players:

• Charity Gaming – non-profit organizations are allowed to hold fundraisers involving games of chance if they like. However, the prize may not exceed US$75 000 unless prior approval has been sought. In addition, organizations are only allowed to hold events four times a year. The only exemption from this requirement is senior citizen organizations that run weekly bingo evenings.
• Horse Racing – in order to operate, a racetrack needs to be licensed by the state. Venues are allowed to offer some electronic casino games, such as slots and video poker. These venues are taxed quite heavily.
• Indian Casinos – in order to operate, an Indian casino needs a gaming compact with the state government. Unlike in many other states, these casinos are allowed to offer whatever games they like.

Types of Gambling

If you are looking to gamble in New Mexico but are not sure what is available to you, we have listed all of the available online and brick-and-mortar options available to you down below:

• Horse Racing Betting – this form of betting is the oldest in the state of New Mexico. Off-track betting is allowed at licensed racetracks. These venues also offer players the chance to play slots and video poker games.
• Indian Casinos – there are currently more than 20 Indian casinos operating in NM. They offer players in NM access to all the most popular games including slots, video poker, craps, roulette, and blackjack, among others.
• Lottery – the state does run its own lottery that sells tickets for keno-style and scratch card games.
• Charity – these are games of chance (such as raffles or bingo) held by non-profit organizations with the aim of fundraising.
• Daily Fantasy Sports – DFS sites claim that their games are skill-based rather than luck-based and as such do not count as gambling and the state has not contested this.
• Online Casinos – while theoretically, off-track betting is the only legal form of online gambling listed in New Mexico state law, players are also able to gamble at the offshore casino and sports betting sites that accept US players. We recommend that players exercise caution while doing so though.

List of Indian Casinos

Looking to gamble at a good, old brick-and-mortar casino in New Mexico? Well, look no further than the options listed down below. You are sure to find one with a tailor-made experience for you!

Evolution of NM Casinos

New Mexico gambling only really began to see a push in the 1980s. Prior to the time period, only horse racing betting had been legal. However, when Texas legalized horse racing and tax revenues began to fall, NM lawmakers started pushing for more defined legislation on the industry that would recoup government gains in some way.

Although racing tracks continue to be a source of entertainment for many gamblers, they are no longer the number one option for gamblers in NM, despite also adding slots and video poker games to their repertoire. Today, they only form part of the thriving New Mexico gambling industry.

New Mexico Casinos FAQs