The Scourge of Illegal Gambling and Underground Slot Machines in Mexico

Operations against illegal slots

Recently, different states and municipalities in Mexico have carried out operations against establishments that operate with illegal and underground gaming machines. For Miguel Ángel Ochoa Sánchez, head of AIEJA, these actions constitute a necessary step, although still insufficient in the face of the magnitude of the phenomenon.

In this sense, he explains that "In recent months, we have witnessed, in different states and municipalities of the Republic, coordinated operations against premises with gaming machines, which swarm in full view of everyone throughout the country. It should be remembered that, since January 2016, the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation had issued a ruling that stipulated, among other points, that all gaming machines operating outside a casino recognized by the Ministry of the Interior, were illegal. We had to wait a decade to start seeing some movements to enforce this sentence. But the task is titanic and we will need many other operations to end this scourge."

Differentiating regulated gambling from clandestine activity

From AIEJA's perspective, one of the main challenges is to prevent clandestine slots from being associated with establishments that are part of the formal industry.

Therefore, Ochoa explains that "AIEJA considered it important to support these first operations to allow public opinion to differentiate between these machines that are in the grocery stores of their locality, with the gaming machines located in the 410 casinos authorized by our Regulator, all with international certification and homologation, produced by world-renowned companies. With communication well managed, I think it is positive to show that the legally established and regulated gambling industry can be a solid ally in the fight against illegality".

Ochoa Sánchez argues that the Mexican regulatory framework allows for the identification of authorized operators and that, therefore, the differentiation between formal and clandestine activity should be clear to the authorities. "The law is clear and the authorities should not have any confusion about it. The industry in Mexico is regulated by the Ministry of the Interior, which has accurate records of permittees and operators, both face-to-face and digital. Any space that offers gambling with a bet outside of these lists is clearly illegal. I would dare to say that it is nothing more than a question of political will."

Unregulated online gambling and payment methods

The phenomenon of illegality also reaches the digital sphere. For the president of AIEJA, a greater participation of companies that process payments could contribute to limiting the operation of platforms that operate outside the Mexican legal framework.

"And with respect to unregulated digital gambling, having the collaboration of payment processing companies so that they do not allow transactions of platforms outside the legality of the country, would help a lot."

The proposal proposes to expand the control strategy beyond operators and physical establishments, incorporating other actors that participate in the online gambling ecosystem.

Regarding the regulation of online gambling, an expert in the field such as Gerardo Ballesteros Félix, a lawyer specializing in Games and Sweepstakes, explains in another exclusive article from SoloAzar that "The Federal Law on Games and Sweepstakes requires a comprehensive reform that understands online gambling not as a peripheral extension of traditional casinos, but as a digital native market with its own dynamics."

Illegal Slots and Organized Crime

One of the most sensitive aspects of the phenomenon is the alleged relationship between illegal slots and criminal organizations. Ochoa Sánchez argues that these links are part of a much broader problem that affects different economic activities in Mexico.

"I think that, today, these links are fully confirmed. In many municipalities of the country, organized crime charges a percentage of the vast majority of economic activities, reigning based on threats and violence. And machines outside casinos are no exception."

And he adds: "However, illegal slots are only a tiny part of the problem. Let's remember the tragedy suffered by one of the operators in Monterrey in 2011, when he refused to pay the extortions." In reference to the attack by an organized crime group at the Casino Royale in Monterrey that caused the death of 52 people, mostly elderly women.

On the other hand, Ballesteros, when mentioning this fight against organized crime, also explains that the exhortation presented in the Mexican Congress for the Ministry of the Interior to publish an open and transparent registry of casino and online gambling permits seeks among its objectives "the mitigation of financial risks, specifically money laundering and terrorist financing.

A response that exceeds the gaming industry

In conclusion, the fourth installment of "Mexico in 6 keys" thus shows that the fight against illegal gambling in Mexico is not limited to the closure of establishments or the seizure of machines. It also involves regulation, communication, prevention, means of payment and, in the face of the presence of organized crime, a national and international strategy that completely exceeds the gambling sector.

In this context, SiGMA North America 2026 will bring together the main leaders of the industry in Mexico City. SoloAzar will closely cover the event with interviews, analysis and news for its readers. Those who plan to attend can still get a 30% discount on their registration by using the code Soloazar30SIGMA, an exclusive benefit for the SoloAzar community.