In particular, the entertainment and tourism areas have been the most affected, so casinos are one of the most damaged sectors. Traditional casinos had to close their doors for a long time, and, despite the recent reopening, the levels of attendance have not increased much.

To alleviate the crisis in the sector, the activity of online casinos is essential. During the worst of the pandemic and successive lockdowns, thousands of users began experimenting with online gambling. This process continues to grow and will undoubtedly contribute to the recovery of the industry.

The fanaticism for online casinos in Mexico

The rise of online gambling is not only linked to the closure of land-based casinos, but also to the variety of opportunities offered by virtual operators. In many respects, you might think that online casinos are upgraded versions of traditional gambling halls. This is due to numerous factors that directly appeal to the Mexican public and that account for the success of the sector.

In the first instance, the unbeatable security conditions offered by online gambling operators can be mentioned. As the Mexican Gaming Law does not explicitly address the activity of these actors, the servers are regulated according to the standards of the international authorities of the industry. This means that there are world-renowned institutes that license legal operators. Among the best-known stamps in Mexico are those of the Malta Gaming Authority and the UK Gaming Commission.

Another point in favor of online casinos is the plurality of games, which would be unthinkable in a land based casino. Is that the virtual mode allows you to innovate with the rules and limits of the most popular games. Thus, there are an infinity of roulettes, slots, poker tables and blackjack, each with original and creative rules.

In addition, online casinos allow access to bets at any time, from anywhere, thanks to apps to play from the phone. This practicality means that, even when land casinos are open, many users prefer to continue with the virtual mode. Also, online gambling allows better control of expenses, since casinos are linked to optimized payment methods to manage money online.

The crisis of the gaming industry in Mexico
Despite the contribution of online gambling, the industry is in a very bad time. According to the Association of Licensees, Operators and Suppliers of the Entertainment and Gambling Industry (AIEJA), the recovery could only be seen in February 2022. It is that the figures of the sector were drastically reduced. The 25 billion pesos a year that the market represented in 2019 fell to 10 billion in 2020.
Although 96% of the gambling halls in the country are open, the situation has not changed much. The allowed capacity is 75%; however, the effective attendance is less than 50%. This is because many people are still afraid to go out or have not adjusted to the rules of the new normal. The only state that has not yet allowed the return of the homes is Baja California Sur.

In this sense, Miguel Ángel Ochoa, president of AIEJA, said that they have been "one of the most affected industries, the first to close, the last to open." This data seems to explain the slowness of the industry in achieving a full recovery.

In addition, Ochoa was critical of the measures in place for the gaming sector: “If the pandemic increases, it has nothing to do with the casinos being open. Closing the casinos is not fixing the pandemic; on the other hand, opening the casinos is to help the economy revive, boost employment, improve investments and receive more taxes, "he said.

The role of the entertainment and gambling sector will be key to the general recovery of the Mexican economy, which has tourism as one of its great bastions. Meanwhile, the gaming industry will continue to count on the prosperity of online operators.