Casino Sportsbook Gambling Gets Closer to West Texas
The nation's newest sportsbook will open for business next week in New Mexico. Starting Tuesday, October 16, the Santa Ana Star Casino will be the first casino in New Mexico to operate a legal sportsbook.
According to the Albuquerque Business Journal there is one exception for the sportsbook at the Santa Ana Star: games featuring the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State won't be available to be bet on. UNM and New Mexico State are the two Division-I NCAA athletic programs in New Mexico.
The Associated Press also reports the Santa Ana Star sportsbook will be managed by USBookmaking, which is based in Nevada.
“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,” stated Vic Salerno, President of USBookmaking. “We have carved out a unique position where we are a very attractive service provider to the many independent casino operations that exist today,” Salerno added.
Santa Ana Star Casino CEO John Cirrincione told the AP he projects slim profit margins for the sportsbook.
A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowed sportsbooks to open outside of the state of Nevada, including New Jersey and Mississippi.
The Santa Ana Star Casino is located about 20 miles north of Albuquerque on highway US 550.