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Stakeholders in the Mexican gambling sector have asked for an overhaul of current gambling laws ahead of 2026. The rationale is that these laws need to be updated to modern times before the FIFA 2026 World Cup tournament, which will be held in Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
This is a popular sentiment in several countries around the world as gambling becomes more popular. For example, online regulations have been developed to address growing demand and allow consumers to access services safely and with ease. This is happening even in places you would not immediately associate with gambling, such as Utah. But as a recent article from CardPlayer explains, Utah gambling sites have become much more popular, especially because they provide players with exciting perks, a wide variety of gaming options, and rewards for continuous usage. (https://www.cardplayer.com/online-casinos/utah-casinos).
Now, Mexico is looking to get similar treatment. Its current regulation is the federal gaming and lottery law, which was passed in 1947. It was mainly developed with a view to restricting gambling, but this is much trickier in the modern age when the internet makes it much more accessible. This not only stifles innovation but causes confusion. Both players and regulators often find themselves conflicted about how to best adhere to these laws. What's worse, many offshore platforms are now serving the Mexican market but not properly adhering to these confusing laws.
The prevalence of offshore platforms also means that the government is losing a ton of revenue from domestic gambling consumers. This will be an even bigger issue come 2026. The FIFA World Cup is one of the most-watched events in the world, and any country hosting the matches will see a significant influx of tourism. Besides money going towards hotels, restaurants, airlines, and much more, gambling sees a spike in revenue.
This is why the push for regulation is so urgent, as has been pointed out, having proper gambling goals in place means that consumers can spend their money with local platforms, and the tax revenue can be invested in the country. This push is mainly coming from AIEJA, which is an organization representing the interests of the gambling sector within Mexico and includes several prominent members of the industry.
So far, the pressure from this coalition of stakeholders appears to be having some effect. According to AIEJA President Miguel Ángel Ochoa Sánchez, a revised gambling law is on the way.
“The forums to which we were invited have been completed, and we understand that they are in the final stages of drafting the bill. It would be a crucial step toward regulating a market that is currently governed by an obsolete 77-year-old law,” he said.
For now, both the organization and stakeholders can only hope that the new regulation is rolled out well before FIFA and is actually effective. Some of the suggestions being made include age verification, proper taxation, responsible gaming guidelines, and so on. Hopefully, these not only lead to significant revenue during FIFA 2026 but also protection and guidance for the Mexican gambling sector in the months and years after.
- B.E. Delmer, Gambling911.com
