Sports betting in New Mexico is a bit of an anomaly compared to the other US states with legal sports wagering.

Technically, New Mexico sports betting isn’t legal. But it isn’t illegal, either, at least at tribal casinos.

Oregon: Oregon online sports betting started in 2019, with the launch of the Scoreboard sports betting app. Pennsylvania: Online sports betting in Pennsylvania went live during Spring of 2019 with the launch of the Sugarhouse sports betting app. Rhode Island: Mobile sports betting in RI began in 2019 requiring in-person registration. The majority of online sports betting sites allow you to make deposits using your credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX), e-wallets (PayPal, Neteller, Skrill), and debit. As we move closer and closer to a fully digitized world, more and more online sports betting sites will accept cryptocurrency as a deposit method. Legal Online Sports Betting Age in New Mexico Though you can bet at the horse tracks and buy lotto tickets at the age of 18, New Mexicans must reach the age of 21 in order to participate in casino.

NM sports betting first launched in October 2018 when Santa Ana Casino took the first bet. It became the sixth state to accept a legal sports bet at the time.

The Pueblo of Santa AnaTribe decided to move forward with sports betting, as it isn’t expressly illegal under state law. In their interpretation, that meant it is allowed under their tribal gaming compacts with the state.

Four other tribal casinos have also launched New Mexico sports betting since then.

When will online sports betting launch in New Mexico?

It doesn’t look promising for online NM sports betting to launch anytime soon.

Given its technically gray status in the state as unregulated but allowed at tribal casinos, there’s nothing suggesting widespread online sports betting would be allowed.

The tribes could possibly launch an app that is geofenced to their casino and tribal lands, similar to Mississippi. But that doesn’t add much if there’s a retail option already.

Any online betting sites that claim to allow online betting in New Mexico are unlicensed offshore operators. Those sportsbook operators offer no consumer protection at all for the bettor.

That means a book can decide to not pay out a winning bet or simply close up shop without refunding customer balances.

Is Online Sports Betting Legal In New Mexico

Recent New Mexico sports betting stories

Michigan regulators have given the green light for online gambling and online sports betting to start at noon Friday.

The Michigan Gaming Control Board announced Tuesday that it approved the first nine casinos and their online platform partners to launch at that time, with additional approvals expected in coming days.

The Legislature and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer legalized internet gambling and sports betting in December 2019, and regulators spent all of last year devising rules and ways to monitor and license the new platforms.

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The minimum age for online gambling and sports betting is 21. Those taking part in sports betting do not need to be Michigan residents, but must be situated within the state's borders when placing bets via smartphone app or computer. Those from Ohio, where online sports betting isn't legal, could therefore use Michigan's new betting apps if they do so in Michigan.

The nine platforms and their associated operators are:

• FanDuel, for MotorCity Casino
• BetMGM/Roar Digital, for MGM Grand Detroit
• Penn Sports Interactive/ Barstool Sportsbook, for Greektown Casino
• DraftKings, for the Bay Mills Indian Community
• William Hill, for the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians
• TwinSpires, for the Hannahville Indian Community
• Golden Nugget Online Gaming, for the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community
• Rush Street, for the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians
• Wynn, for the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians

Richard Kalm, executive director of the gaming control board, said the days between Tuesday's authorization and Friday's launch give the online platforms time to do testing and make adjustments. Some platforms, such as FanDuel, DraftKings and BetMGM, have been advertising for weeks and allowing users to sign up, but not place bets.

More: Internet gambling, sports betting launch in Michigan may be just days away

Sport Betting Websites

'Online gaming and sports betting will provide the casinos with new ways to engage with customers while the state and local communities will benefit from taxes and payments on wagering revenue,' Kalm said in a statement.

FanDuel's Chief Marketing Officer Mike Raffensperger said that about 90% of the company's users in markets where sports betting is already allowed use FanDuel through its mobile app.

Raffensperger said legalized online sports betting is a good because it brings the activity into the light of day and prevents people from getting outright cheated.

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'Frankly speaking, (sports betting) is a marketplace that existed prior to us launching legally,' he said. 'It just happened in (the) black market and the gray market with offshore accounts where maybe you’ll get your money out, maybe you won’t.'

In-person sports betting began in Michigan last March but quickly went dark when the Detroit casinos closed amid the initial surge of the COVID-19 pandemic. The sports betting lounges reopened in the summer, closed again Nov. 18 and have remained open at reduced capacity since Dec. 22.

The tax rate and the tribal payment rate for internet sports betting is 8.4%.

The tax and payment rates paid by the casinos for general internet gambling — not including sports — will range from about 20% to 28%, based on adjusted gross receipts.

Online Sports Betting Mgm

Raffensperger of FanDuel said he believes that online sports betting will not result in the closure of the still-new sports-betting lounges in Detroit's casinos.

Online Sports Betting New Mexico

'There's nothing like the experience of a sports book — watching a great game on giant TVs and being there with your friends,' he said. “COVID has made that difficult ... but it’s a wonderful, fun experience.”

Online Sports Betting Maryland

Contact JC Reindl:313-222-6631 or jcreindl@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@jcreindl. Read more on business and sign up for our business newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan legal online gambling and sports betting to start Friday