Mexico’s gambling regulation reform faces growing pressure as industry figures warn the country is falling behind while long-awaited changes remain stuck in draft form. With major events on the horizon and an old legal framework still in place, frustration is building across parts of the sector that say uncertainty is holding back progress and investment.
The country’s gambling laws still rest on legislation that dates back nearly 80 years. Although officials had signaled updates could arrive this year, progress has slowed, and expectations have shifted.
Attention has now turned to whether any meaningful changes will appear before Mexico co-hosts the 2026 World Cup in June, a milestone many in the industry see as a missed opportunity if reform does not land in time.
A Sector Waiting on Long-Promised Reform
Leaders across the gambling industry say Mexico’s regulatory environment has not kept pace with how the market now operates, especially in online betting. Miguel Ángel Ochoa Sánchez, who leads the Mexican Association for Permit Holders, Operators and Suppliers of the Entertainment and Gambling Industry, said the situation has left operators without clear direction.
He pointed to expectations raised in late 2024 when national leadership highlighted the need for a new Federal Law on Games and Raffles and assigned the Ministry of the Interior to prepare a draft proposal. That process moved into working groups during early 2025, involving industry participation, but since then, momentum appears to have stalled.
Industry participants also note that authorities had hoped to submit a revised framework during the first legislative session of 2026, which ends on 30 April, but competing priorities have made that timeline uncertain.
Communication Gaps and Regulatory Uncertainty
Beyond the stalled legislative process, market observers have pointed to weak communication between regulators and operators. Legal experts in Mexico’s gaming sector have said engagement from the regulator has been inconsistent over recent years, leaving companies with limited clarity on expectations or direction.
The regulator, SEGOB, has also been described by legal specialists as less present in ongoing industry dialogue compared with what would normally be expected in a growing market. According to those assessments, the lack of steady coordination has contributed to uncertainty around licensing and future rules, particularly for digital operations.
2023 Crackdown on Casino Licensing
In 2023, Mexico’s president set out a firm position against gambling expansion, saying his government intended to cancel casino licenses issued over the previous four years while also halting any new approvals.
The announcement came in a country where gambling regulation remains shaped by a 1947 law that technically prohibits casinos, even though many continue to operate under various legal arrangements and permits.
Over time, earlier administrations allowed licensing frameworks to develop in order to generate tax revenue and support tourism, especially in resort areas. However, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador made clear after taking office on December 1, 2018, that he had not issued any new casino licenses and did not intend to approve more going forward.
The policy position also included reviewing previously issued licenses, raising uncertainty about whether approvals granted under earlier administrations would remain valid.
Public opposition to casinos has also been shaped by security concerns, including tragedy in Monterrey at Casino Royale, where armed attackers linked to organized crime set fire to the venue, killing more than 50 people.
Source:
Industry pressure mounting for Mexico to modernise gambling regulation, igamingbusiness.com, April 20, 2026.