Slot Machine Ban Enacted by Mexico President, Election Year Brings Potential Reassessment

The Mexican President limits iGaming partnerships and outlaws slot machines and table games in casinos.

President Obrador of Mexico Adopts Dramatic Modifications to Gaming Laws

A decree signed by Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador altered the nation's 2004 gambling laws considerably.

The government's official gazette published the decree on Thursday morning, prohibiting the use of slot machines, table games, and other casino activities. Specifically, it lists "slot machine games, roulette wheels, card games, and dice games." It also eliminates certain provisions of the 2004 regulation that permitted "drawings of numbers of symbols through machines." 

Furthermore, the decree prohibits collaborations between Mexican gaming companies and other businesses. This will stop Mexican license holders—the majority of whom currently do so—from working with foreign online gambling companies to utilize their licenses. A Mexican gaming license is now only valid for 15 years as opposed to 25 under the new regulations.

New Mexican Gaming Laws Will Not Take Effect Until After Permits Expire

The modifications will take time, even though the decree was signed this week. While those with licenses can continue doing what they're doing until their permits expire or reach a 15-year term, new permits will adhere to the regulations. This allows license holders time to challenge the new regulations, and the 2024 election year may offer some hope. 

In June 2024, Mexico will choose a new president. The candidate of the ruling party is a former Mexico City mayor named Claudia Sheinbaum. She is a strong contender, according to polls. Although her opinions on gambling are unclear, casinos are hoping that she won't be as anti-gambling as her predecessor was.

Obrador's anti-gambling stance was primarily motivated by his distaste for former President Vincente Fox. In 2018, after Obrador succeeded Fox, he claimed that Fox had abused its position of authority to extort and threaten numerous casinos into obtaining licenses.