New Mexico Capitol Building

New Mexico Lottery approve new sports lottery game

The New Mexico Lottery Authority (NMLA) has voted to move ahead with plans to launch a new sports lottery game.

The new sports lottery game could launch in four to six months and will involve correctly guessing the outcome of at least three sporting events.

It appears that the state is attempting to capitalize on the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) as this is the first real move towards implementing a form of sports wagering at a state level.

However, the legality of the NMLA’s decision has been thrown into question by New Mexico State Representative Jason Harper.

Harper has argued that moving forward with a sports lottery game would be illegal as sports betting has not been approved by the state regulators.

Harper said: “My view is that if the lottery moves forward with sports betting, that’s illegal.

“When the Supreme Court ruled, it did not change any laws in New Mexico, so why the lottery thinks it can do sports betting now again shows we have a rogue lottery in our state.”

Earlier this week local press in Albuquerque New Mexico published a piece by the Chairman of Stop Predatory Gambling New Mexico, Guy C. Clark.

Clark argued that the lottery would violate state laws as New Mexico law does not permit sports betting.

Clark also argued that the Santa Ana Star Casino and Hotel sportsbook which opened last month has violated federal laws.

Last month the Santa Ana Star Casino and Hotel in New Mexico launched a sportsbook under the tribal gaming compact which permits tribal gaming establishments to offer sports betting on sovereign land.

It looks like there is still a long way to go before state regulators reach a decision on sports betting in New Mexico.

 

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