London-based IGT has entered the New Mexico gambling market.
The company announced it has signed a multi-year agreement with the Pueblo of Santa Ana tribe to offer sports betting at Santa Ana Star Casino Hotel. IGT President of Sports Betting John Asher said in a statement:
“Santa Ana Star Casino Hotel knew that adding sports betting would enhance the gaming experiences available to its patrons when it opened its sportsbook several years ago and we are thrilled that the tribe has decided to upgrade its offering by partnering with IGT.
IGT is committed to leveraging our vast experience powering sports betting at tribal casinos and our world-class betting products and services to help Santa Ana Star Casino Hotel achieve maximum sportsbook growth.”
Sports betting is only available at five tribal casinos in the state. New Mexico does not offer mobile sports betting.
IGT replaces Santa Ana’s first operator
Santa Ana Star was the first casino in the state to open a sportsbook. When the book launched in October 2018, Santa Ana was working with operator USBookmaking.
More than four years later, Santa Ana’s leaders chose to go with IGT. The company did not indicate why it made the change. But Santa Ana Star’s new partner has a much bigger footprint than its old one.
USBookmaking operates in four states: New Mexico, Colorado, Michigan and North Dakota. Meanwhile, IGT is established in more than 80 gaming venues in the United States and Canada. And they’re located in 100 jurisdictions around the world.
IGT brings to the table its turnkey PlaySports platform and sports betting kiosk services. Those offerings are a big reason why Santa Ana partnered with IGT, casino CEO John Cirrincione said.
“IGT offers a scalable and reliable turnkey sports betting solution that Santa Ana Star Casino Hotel deployed to elevate the performance and appeal of our sportsbook,” he said. “IGT’s partnership and proven PlaySports platform enable us to provide our casino patrons with premium sports betting options.”
The move should add a small boost to IGT’s US revenue. How much of an impact it will make on the company’s bottom line is up in the air. However, business has been booming at IGT. It ended Q4 2022 exceeding its revenue forecast. And, its 2022 revenue of $4.2 billion was up 3% year-over-year.
Sports gambling in New Mexico at a glance
Five sportsbooks are operating in New Mexico. Three of them are in or near Albuquerque, the state’s biggest city:
- Santa Ana Star
- Isleta Resort & Casino
- Route 66 Casino
Buffalo Thunder Resort Casino is located in Santa Fe. Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort in Casino operates in Mescalero, which is about three hours south of Albuquerque.
