Mexican Gambling Reform Delayed Again

Mexican lawmakers are, once again, delaying an ambitious set of gambling law reforms that were aimed at moving the country’s gaming industry into the 21st century.
Members of Mexico’s gambling industry were hoping to see the Law of Games and Sweepstakes update implemented by August 31, 2018, but virtually no one seems to think that’s still a realistic timeline.
In an article on the Spanish language news site, Milenio.com (as reported on by CalvinAyre.com) Miguel Angel Ochoa Sanchez, president of La Asociación de Permisionarios Operadores y Proveedores de la Industria del Entretenimiento y Juego de Apuesta en México, (AIEJA) admitted that the reforms were stalled.
In his statements, Sanchez placed blame for the delay directly on legislative foot dragging. In particular, Sanchez pointed out that senators seem to continually ask for reports on issues pertaining to gambling, but never seem to follow through with action of any kind.
That individual politicians would not be interested in implementing a clear, cohesive and national licensing scheme. After all, gambling revenues are a cash cow for governmental agencies at all levels, in all countries, and Mexico is no exception.
Sanchez went on to point out that local governments aren’t particularly eager to relinquish any of their control over how much tax is collected from the gambling industry and where that cash ultimately winds up.
Gambling is a relatively large industry in Mexico and produces around $300 million (USD) in tax revenues for the Mexican government each year.
While some voices in the Mexican Senate are calling for the reforms to be implemented as quickly as possible, it’s not clear when lawmakers will take up the issue again.