Hobbs has one casino, and it closes New Mexico's racing year. When the state Racing Commission published its 2026 calendar of 190 live race days across five tracks, the final 31 of them went to Zia Park Casino, Hotel & Racetrack on West Millen Drive: opening on 31 October and finishing on 15 December, weeks after every other track in the state has gone quiet. For the rest of the year Zia Park is a slot floor and hotel, and it is the only licensed casino in Lea County.
Zia Park: the basics
| Address | 3901 West Millen Drive, Hobbs |
| Licensed as | Racetrack casino (state licence, not tribal) |
| Owner | PENN Entertainment |
| Opened | 2004 |
| Slots | More than 750 |
| Other gaming | Electronic table games, video poker, sportsbook |
| Hotel | 154 rooms, part of Choice's Ascend Hotel Collection |
| 2026 live meet | 31 October to 15 December, 31 race days |
| Phone | (575) 492-7000 |
Built for a West Texas crowd
Zia Park opened in 2004, with its gaming floor branded Black Gold Casino. Within two years it had drawn a national buyer: Penn National Gaming agreed to pay $200 million for the property and completed the purchase in April 2007. Its chief executive said at the time that the facility's success "in attracting patrons from west Texas" had driven its growth. The site covered roughly 320 acres at the time of the sale.
The company is now PENN Entertainment, and the casino runs on its PENN Play rewards card. Zia Park marked its 20th anniversary in September 2024 with a month of slot-play drawings.
The gaming floor
Expect machines first. The floor carries more than 750 slots alongside electronic table games and video poker rather than a large live pit, and a sportsbook sits on the property. Simulcast wagering runs year-round, so there is always racing on screen even when the home track is dark.
The fall meet, 2026
The meet is what turns a Hobbs casino into a destination. The 2026 schedule runs mostly Saturday to Tuesday, with three Friday cards, and first post is 12:05pm Mountain Time. The headline days are:
- Sunday 22 November: the New Mexico Classic Quarter Horse Showcase, six stakes for New Mexico-breds worth nearly $1.2 million in combined purses.
- Tuesday 24 November: Land of Enchantment Day, featuring the Zia Park Derby.
- Sunday 13 December: seven graded Quarter Horse stakes, led by the Grade 1 Zia Park Quarter Horse Championship over 440 yards.
The Turf Club Restaurant opens on Saturdays and Sundays during the live season only.
Eating and staying
Three restaurants carry the property: the Centennial Steakhouse for dinner, the Turf Club for race days and Drylands for brick-oven pizza. The 154-room hotel joined Choice Hotels' Ascend Collection and offers king and double queen rooms plus suites. Book early for the November stakes weekends.
Is there a casino in Carlsbad, New Mexico?
No. Neither of the Gaming Control Board's casino registers, the tribal list or the racetrack list, has a Carlsbad address, so Eddy County has no casino floor. What Carlsbad does have is two clubs licensed by the board for non-profit gaming, American Legion Post 7 and BPO Elks Lodge 1558. Those are veterans and fraternal clubs, not public casinos.
For a Carlsbad resident, Zia Park is the practical answer: it is about 70 miles away, and the drive east on US 62/180 takes roughly an hour and a quarter (approximate, in normal conditions). The other option in the south of the state, Inn of the Mountain Gods near Ruidoso, is further away; the Billy the Kid Casino at Ruidoso Downs has been closed since flood damage in July 2026. Our New Mexico casinos guide maps every floor by region.
For nights in Hobbs or Carlsbad
The southeast corner is a long way from most of New Mexico's casinos, which is why sweepstakes casinos get a lot of use here. They run on free promotional coins with no cash wagering, and our New Mexico sweepstakes rankings list the platforms that accept players in the state.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a casino in Hobbs, New Mexico?
Yes, one: Zia Park Casino, Hotel & Racetrack at 3901 West Millen Drive.
When does Zia Park race in 2026?
From 31 October to 15 December, 31 race days, with first post at 12:05pm Mountain Time.
Is there a casino in Carlsbad, New Mexico?
No. The nearest is Zia Park in Hobbs, about 70 miles east.
Does Zia Park have a hotel?
Yes, 154 rooms on site.
Who owns Zia Park?
PENN Entertainment, which bought it as Penn National Gaming in 2007.
