Mexico Casino City’s North American Gaming Almanac 139 Mexico The legal gaming industry currently consists of bingo, gaming parlors, Class II machines, lotteries, horse and greyhound betting, and sports wagering. Mexico is the only country in Latin America besides Cuba where casino gambling is technically prohibited. However, loopholes in the Federal Law of Games and Raffles of 1947 have allowed casinos in certain areas to be approved. The 1947 law was amended in 2005 to allow sportsbooks, offtrack betting and numbers games. The Mexican Home Office, La Secretaria de Gobernación (SEGOB), is in charge of the licensing and regulation of all gaming. Initially, the drive to reform the gaming laws was to promote tourism. But now that de facto casinos permeate the Mexican landscape, the focus has turned to regulating gaming activity and stopping the proliferation of illegal gambling. In 2013, Mexico explicitly banned slot machines and outlawed the practice of gaming license holders renting out their permits to other operators. Since then, there have been several legislative efforts from the Executive Branch to amend the Gaming Law and its Regulations or to pass a new gaming bill that meets the needs of a globalized gaming industry and offers certainty and clarity to permit-holders, gaming operators and players. GamingProfile by Type of Location Locations Casinos ............................................. 363 99.5% Horse Tracks ...................................... 1 0.3% Racinos............................................... 1 0.3% Total ................................................. 365 100.0% Electronic Gaming Machines Casinos ........................................... 3,301 Racinos............................................. 900 Casino and Card Room Gaming Casino gaming in Mexico is expressly forbidden in the first article of the Federal Law of Games and Draws of 1947. However, the same law mentions an opportunity for games with bets to be allowed at the discretion of the Secretaria de Gobernación (SEGOB). Initially, permission for such games was rarely granted. But the situation changed over time, and eventually, Class II machines and converted Class III machines began operating in hundreds of gaming properties throughout the country. The Mexican government has attempted to gain control of its casino industry numerous times in the last decade. Its latest effort began in early 2015, when the government began pushing for legislation that would authorize resorts to build casinos. The goal behind this legislative push is to make sure new casinos are built to attract tourists, not locals. In 2013, Mexico banned slot machines. It also stopped gaming license owners from renting out their permits to other operators. Bills that would have banned gaming parlors near schools and churches, banned the operation of slot machines in stores and pharmacies, and created a new tax structure for the remaining operators failed to pass in 2009 and 2010. Lotteries Mexico allows government-run and privately operated lotteries. The government lotteries consist of the Lotería Nacional para la Asistencia Pública, established in 1770, and the Pronósticos para la Asistencia Pública. Revenue from these national lotteries is primarily used to fund public health and welfare programs. Lottery tickets can be purchased from brick-and-mortar retailers, at ATMs, by cell phone and on the internet. The private lottery in Mexico is operated by Apuestas Internacionales, a subsidiary of Televisa. Lotteries Revenue Period MXN1 USD 1/2002-12/2002 1,819,409,745 188,543,612 1/2003-12/2003 1,847,485,569 171,025,434 1/2004-12/2004 1,844,532,000 163,484,560 1/2005-12/2005 1,951,887,000 179,282,773 1/2006-12/2006 2,107,290,000 193,404,969 1/2007-12/2007 2,207,833,000 202,091,786 1/2008-12/2008 2,151,458,000 194,694,040 1/2009-12/2009 2,035,292,000 151,073,619 1/2010-12/2010 2,241,723,000 177,533,253 1/2011-12/2011 2,218,059,000 179,081,648 1/2012-12/2012 2,353,152,000 179,025,451 1/2013-12/2013 2,095,580,000 164,352,148 1/2014-12/2014 1,987,598,000 149,495,196 1/2015-12/2015 2,206,823,000 139,380,734 1/2016-12/2016 2,088,338,000 112,047,687 Lotteries Sales Period MXN1 USD 1/2017-12/2017 8,189,104,200 434,300,952 1/2018-12/2018 8,952,117,700 466,226,290 1/2019-12/2019 9,469,381,800 492,076,425 1 Data provided by Mexico Lottery Race Wagering Race wagering is legal in Mexico. There are on- and offtrack betting facilities. Separate permits are required to operate gaming machines. One of the largest operators of legal betting parlors is Televisa, which also operates lotteries. Televisa was granted permits to open 65 offtrack betting parlors in June 2006, after receiving authorization from Carlos Abascal, head of the Department of the Interior, in December 2005. In January 2008, the Superior Auditing Company of the Federation (ASF) and Secretary of the Public Functions (SFP) began analyzing licenses granted by SEGOB. At least 23 of the licenses granted each grantee the right to open multiple facilities. This prompted the ASF and SFP to revise their procedures for the authorization of licenses. Sports Betting Sports betting is legal in Mexico. Many betting shops also have slot machines and bingo. Caliente, Compañía Interamericana de Entertenimiento (CIE), and Apuestas Internacionales are the largest betting companies in Mexico.
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