Office of the State Gaming Representative

Active State Gaming Representative: Van Billops

GCB-StateGamingRep@state.nm.us

The State Gaming Representative is the person designated by the Gaming Control Board pursuant to the Gaming Control Act (60-2E-1 to 60-2E-60, NMSA 1978) who will be responsible for actions of the State set out in the Tribal-State Gaming Compact.

The State Gaming Representative serves a dual role, both as a liaison between the Tribes and the State and as a regulator to monitor compliance with the Compact.

The State Gaming Representative may utilize staff from the Gaming Control Board or contract with private persons, firms, or other entities for the purpose of assisting in performing their functions set forth in the Compact, but the State Gaming Representative is the single contact with the Tribes and may be relied upon as such by the Tribes.

The Office of the State Gaming Representative is comprised of staff of the Gaming Control Board and assists in monitoring compliance with the Compact. The State Gaming Representative may designate staff to perform inspections and information gathering.

With respect to the Compact, any information, documents, or communications provided to the State Gaming Representative, his agents or contractors, or to any other official, agency, or entity of the State by the Tribe, the Tribal Gaming Agency, or the Gaming Enterprise, or prepared from information obtained from the Tribe, the Tribal Gaming Agency or the Gaming Enterprise, or any information, documents or communications provided to the Tribe, the Tribal Gaming Agency, or the Gaming Enterprise by any State entity, or prepared from information obtained from any State entity, under the provisions of this Compact or under the provisions of any Predecessor Agreement, are confidential.

The New Mexico Gaming Control Board is responsible for monitoring compliance of the New Mexico gaming tribes under the 2001 Tribal/State gaming compacts.

Some of the primary goals and objectives of the gaming compacts are:

• Goodwill and cooperation;
• Effective government-to-government relationship;
• Facilitate the regulation of Class III Gaming;
• The promotion of Tribal economic development, self-sufficiency and self-governing;
• Access to Fair and Honest gaming;

On occasion, issues arise under the gaming compacts which are common to some and potentially all of the gaming Tribes in New Mexico.

The following advisory opinions are meant to state the developed, informed, and supported position of the NMGCB on a particular issue at a given time.

Tribal Gaming

The purpose and objectives of the State and the Tribe in making these Compacts are to address the State’s interest in the establishment by the Tribe of rules and procedures for ensuring the Class III Gaming is conducted fairly and honestly by the owners, operators, employees, and patrons of any Class III Gaming enterprise on Indian lands.  Section 1.G. Tribal-State Compact.

Additional State Interests:

• Revenue Sharing and Regulatory Fees (deposit into the General Fund)
• Effective Agency Government-to-Government Interaction
• Responsible Gaming

Tribal patron disputes

Tribal casinos are regulated by a Tribal Gaming Agency, and each has sole authority to resolve patron disputes regarding wins and losses.

To file a complaint for a dispute over wins or losses, you must contact the Tribal Gaming Agency, which has regulatory jurisdiction over the tribal casino involved.

Tribal Compacts

2015 Compact – Expires 2037

Revenue Sharing

Gaming History