Mexico could move toward tighter controls on online gambling after a new legislative initiative proposed stronger player-protection rules, restrictions on certain betting markets and greater oversight of digital operators.
The proposal was submitted on August 5 by Morena lawmaker Alberto Martínez Urincho to the Congress of Mexico City. It seeks changes to Mexico’s Federal Gaming and Raffles Law, specifically through the addition of Article 1 Bis and amendments to Article 3.
Martínez Urincho presented the reforms as a response to the rapid growth of online betting and its increasing accessibility among younger consumers. The initiative would formally treat gambling disorder as an addiction-related public health issue, with prevention and treatment incorporated into a broader health and mental-health approach.
Among the measures proposed are stronger identity and age-verification systems for gambling platforms, more visible responsible gambling warnings and tighter controls on promotions designed to encourage participation.
The plan would also prohibit operators from accepting bets linked to certain sensitive events. These would include political developments, armed conflicts, humanitarian emergencies, natural disasters and other events where betting could be considered incompatible with human dignity. The provision could have particular implications for prediction-market platforms that offer contracts on real-world political and geopolitical outcomes.
Lawmakers are also focusing on the influence of mobile technology, social networks and streaming platforms. Martínez Urincho argued that smartphones have made sports betting and casino products available around the clock, while digital advertising can expose younger audiences to messages presenting gambling as an easy route to financial gain.
Mexico continues to operate under the Federal Gaming and Raffles Law originally published in 1947. The legislation broadly prohibits gambling unless activities are expressly authorised and operated under permission from the Ministry of the Interior. Despite the expansion of online gambling, the underlying federal law has not undergone a comprehensive modernisation since its introduction.
Because the proposed changes concern federal legislation, the Mexico City Congress cannot introduce them nationally on its own. The initiative must progress through the relevant local legislative process before being forwarded to Mexico’s federal Congress for consideration.
The latest proposal adds to growing political pressure to modernise Mexico’s gambling framework as digital betting becomes a larger part of the market and lawmakers place greater emphasis on minors, advertising standards and problem-gambling prevention.