Mescalero Apache joins New Mexico tribes in filing federal lawsuit against sports betting company

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KVIA) -- The Mescalero Apache Tribe, along with others, filed a federal lawsuit against an online prediction-market platform's sports betting on tribal lands.

According to a news release from Wednesday, the tribes allege Kalshi's "prediction market" website and app of breaking tribal law since its website and app lets anyone in the lands to bet on sporting events. The tribes said type of gambling is subject to tribal gaming laws.

The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act regulates gaming on tribal lands, promotes tribal economic development and ensures fair practices under tribal-state compacts, the tribes said. Additionally, each of the tribe's gaming compacts and laws only authorize those governments to approve and operate gaming on their lands.

The tribes also said Kalshi advertises it "cracked the code on legal betting" and allows anyone at least 18 years old to do sports betting. However, IGRA, gaming compacts and tribal law requires people to be at least 21 to game on tribal lands.

The tribe's lawsuit seek a federal court order stopping Kalshi's sports betting on their lands.

The other tribes include the Pueblo of Isleta, Pueblo of Pojoaque and Pueblo of Sandia.