The Navajo Tribe Are Preparing To Take Sports Bets In N.M.

• The Navajo Tribe is partnering with a Las Vegas sportsbook provider.
• The Twin Arrows Casino is looking to have sports betting before March Madness.
• The Navajo Tribe will then shift its focus to opening a sportsbook in Arizona.

SANTA FE, N.M. – The Navajo Tribe started making moves on Tuesday to get sports betting operational in their resorts in New Mexico.

Opening A Sportsbook In New Mexico

It has been almost two years since states began legalizing sports betting around the country. One of the more surprising states to have sports betting was New Mexico. The main reason why it was a surprise was that no sports betting laws were passed. The Tribal Compact between the state and the tribes allowed for tribal casinos to operate sportsbooks.

The Tribal Compact allows New Mexico tribes to offer any Class III gaming in their casinos and since sports betting is considered Class III gaming, the tribes are free to offer sports wagering. That is why the Navajo Tribe is trying to open a new sportsbook.

To do so, the Navajo Tribe needs a sportsbook operator. Creating their own odds can be a very expensive process, a process they cannot afford. If they were to create their own odds, sports betting would cost more than they would make.

Plus, the Navajo Tribe is using sports betting to pay off loans. That is why they are going to Las Vegas to finalize a deal with their potential sportsbook operator. The potential operator has not been revealed at this time.

The Timeframe To Launch

The Navajo Tribe is hoping to launch its sportsbook in the next few months. Originally, the tribe wanted their sportsbook to open and take NFL bets. But unforeseen circumstances made them miss that opportunity. Now the tribe is aiming to launch before the start of March Madness.

“The pro football season, by far, generates the most interest among persons who do sports betting, but there is also a lot of interest out there for betting on basketball and baseball, and the gaming enterprise wants to be able to cater to this interest,” said Brian Parrish, interim CEO of the Navajo Tribe enterprise.

Once the Navajo Tribe launches a sportsbook in New Mexico, they will not stop there. They will then shift their focus on opening sportsbooks in Arizona as well.

Although, the tribe might have a hard time operating in Arizona. Arizona sports betting has not been legalized yet and it does not seem like the tribes there cannot offer sports betting either.

News tags: Arizona | Las Vegas | March Madness | Navajo Tribe | New Mexico | NFL | Twin Arrows Casino