****ACTION ALERT–CONTACT AG BALDERAS ABOUT SANTA ANA SPORTS BETTING PARLOR****
Santa Ana Pueblo opened a sports betting operation in the Santa Ana Star Casino Tuesday, October 16, 2018. This action by Santa Ana pueblo violates the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act passed by Congress in 1988. IGRA Section 2710 (d)(1)reads, ” Class III gaming activities shall be lawful on Indian lands only if such activities are–(B) located in a State that permits such gaming for any purpose by any person, organization, or entity...” It is clear in IGRA, the legal foundation for all tribal gambling, that for a tribe to adopt a gambling activity it must already be legal off-reservation in that state. Sports betting is not legal in New Mexico, therefore Santa Ana’s sports betting operation would violate the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
The Mississippi Band of Indians have opened a sports betting operation after complying with state law. Oklahoma is working on legislation to legalize sports betting on the reservation. A handful of other states, including California and Connecticut, have tribes encouraging legislation legalizing tribal sports gambling, but none of the aforementioned tribes have attempted a fait accompli, springing it on their state without proper coordination with their state. These tribes have all recognized the IGRA requirement to follow state precedent, and follow proper regulatory procedures.
If Santa Ana is successful in operating a sports betting parlor with no regulatory confirmation by the state, the other New Mexico tribes will certainly follow suit. This would be the introduction of a whole new form of gambling in addition to the plethora of gambling already exploiting the citizens of the state, without proper regulatory approval. This form of gambling is especially addictive with teens and young adults. We already have way too much gambling addiction in the state.
States that have legalized commercial sports betting are usually moving into Online sports betting. This is the beginning salvo in New Mexico that would certainly lead to Online sports betting in our state. We must stop this at the ontset.
Hector Balderas, the New Mexico Attorney General has the power to sue Santa Ana Pueblo in federal district court and ask for a cease and desist order. The sports betting operation is clearly violating federal and state law. Please contact AG Balderas and ask him to take Santa Ana Pueblo to the federal district court and get it shut down. His phone number is Toll Free 1-844-255-9210. You will most likely be talking to an assistant, but you can ask him/her to pass along the message to the AG to take Santa Ana Pueblo to court to get a stay.
****PLEASE CALL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE****