With more than half of U.S. states allowing online sports betting, a Republican lawmaker is pushing New Mexico to join the growing list.
Key Takeaways
- Rep. John Block is urging New Mexico’s tribes and pueblos to renegotiate the state gaming compact to allow online sports betting.
- Block argues New Mexico is losing tax revenue to unregulated online gambling and prediction market operators already accessible in the state.
- The push comes as New Mexico continues its legal battle against Kalshi over allegations of unauthorized sports betting.
Rep. John Block urged the state's tribes and pueblos during the Legislature’s interim Indian Affairs Committee meeting to renegotiate their gaming compact and allow statewide online sports betting.
“It would be really nice, at least, to get some more revenue for people, because if people are already here operating in the state illegally online, then that robs you, it robs us, it robs every single New Mexican of that tax revenue,” Block said.
Block argued that with unregulated online sports gambling already occurring within the state, the 17 tribes and pueblos that comprise the state’s gaming compact should “reopen the agreement,” arguing the state is missing out on tens of millions of dollars in potential tax and licensing revenue, according to Source NM.
The current compact is set to run through 2037.
Block reiterated his argument on social media following the meeting.
Working hard for you at Indian Affairs Committee in Mescalero. Today, I advocated for renegotiating our gaming compacts for online sports betting. Our state is losing tens of millions of dollars in revenue while 31 states have ONLINE SPORTS BETTING FULLY LEGALIZED. We need to get… pic.twitter.com/r0lSUj2ZtK
— Rep. John Block (@RepBlock) June 24, 2026
The push comes as New Mexico pursues legal action against prediction market operator Kalshi, alleging the company is illegally offering sports-related contracts in violation of state law.
“New Mexico has a longstanding and carefully balanced system for regulating gaming that protects consumers, ensures accountability, and respects tribal sovereignty,” said Attorney General Raul Torrez of the suit in early June. “Kalshi has ignored that framework entirely while offering online sports betting within the state. We are filing this lawsuit to protect the integrity of our laws, our regulatory system, and most importantly, consumers.”
As the system exists today, local tribes rely on gambling revenue to fund services including education, while providing a portion of the revenue for the state, per Source NM. The New Mexico Gaming Control Board said roughly 10% of the $230 million generated in the first quarter of 2026 was allocated to the state’s general fund.
“Mescalero, at this point, has not discussed reopening the compact for negotiation, but it is definitely something that we’re looking at, and we are concerned about,” said Nelva Cervantes, general counsel for the Mescalero Apache Tribe, one of the plaintiffs in the Kalshi lawsuit.
