Will Mexico finally manage to sort out gambling regulation this year?

The political approval of new gambling laws in Mexico seems to be taking a remarkably long time to achieve, but at least one industry expert feels that there is a chance it could be concluded this year.

The new legislation passed the lower house in late 2014, but hopes that it would continue to make progress this year were dashed as the political agenda filled up with more pressing matters.

Miguel Angel Ochoa Sanchez, president of the Mexican Gaming Association, said in a radio interview this week that he hopes and believes that the legislation, which embraces both online and land gambling operations, will finally be approved by the Senate in its September to December session this year.

Implementation, including the introduction of a regulator, will inevitably take up more time – probably well into 2016 or longer – but the knowledge that passage has been achieved could trigger land gambling investment of up to $600 million almost immediately, and further investment is anticipated for the online gambling sector, which the new laws will licence and regulate.

Sanchez claimed in his interview that it is important that the current illegality of online gambling in Mexico is addressed by licensing and regulatory laws, and that the current situation, in which internet operators are illegally active in the country, is depriving government tax and licensing authorities of around $200 million a year.

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