Mexico moves toward new gambling legislation: a modernization project with broad support

Since the new federal administration in Mexico, headed by President Claudia Sheinbaum , took office, the need to update the 1947 Federal Gaming and Lottery Law has become clear . This legislation, while still in force, has been largely outdated by the country's technological, economic, and social reality.

It was in December 2024 , just a few months after taking office, when Sheinbaum made an announcement that positively surprised both the industry and regulatory experts, as they had been demanding it for a long time: Mexico urgently needed a new gaming law. To this end, she entrusted the Ministry of the Interior (SEGOB) , under the leadership of Rosa Icela Rodríguez , to lead the technical and political process for the drafting of a new bill.

Since then, authorities and industry leaders have worked in a coordinated manner. During the first quarter of 2025, a thematic agenda was developed that laid the groundwork for the legislative proposal. The process has been described as the most open and collaborative the industry has had in decades.

"We are on the threshold of a historic opportunity that could mark a substantial leap towards the modernization of the legal framework, opening new horizons so that the Mexican gaming market finally becomes one of the most attractive at the continental and international level and occupies the place it deserves," said Miguel Ángel Ochoa Sánchez , president of the Association of Licensees, Operators and Suppliers of the Entertainment and Gambling Industry in Mexico (AIEJA), exclusively for SoloAzar .

And he added:"The hope that the initiative will be addressed by the Legislature in its first session next year remains more alive than ever."

An outdated regulatory framework

The 1947 Act was enacted in a completely different context than today. It does not address key issues such as online gambling, the digital operation of lotteries, or new technological methods. It also does not define clear criteria for supervision, oversight, or effective consumer protection mechanisms.

This lack of modern regulation has led the industry to operate in an ambiguous environment, where many activities have been developed through administrative interpretations, complementary agreements, or legal loopholes.

In this regard, an expert in gaming legislation in Mexico, Gerardo Ballesteros Félix Díaz, a lawyer specializing in games and sweepstakes and Senior Partner at LC Gaming explained exclusively to SoloAzar that " The 1947 Law , although it has demonstrated its ability to provide a framework of legal security, is obsolete given the current dynamics of the industry, especially in the digital sphere. Discussion of a bill for its modernization is, from my point of view, essential."

Political challenges ahead

Although the sector applauds the progress and the executive branch's approach, the fate of the new law will now depend on the legislative branch . The political situation, marked by reshuffles within Congress and negotiations between political forces, could slow the process.

However, both business leaders and authorities maintain the expectation that the bill will be discussed in the first session of 2026 , which begins in February. There are already signs of support from various legislative sectors, particularly those interested in generating greater legal certainty, increasing tax revenue, and combating illegal gambling.

Final Words

Mexico is on the verge of a long-awaited reform. The possibility of having a new legal framework for the gaming and lottery industry represents a unique opportunity to align the country with the highest international standards. For the first time in decades, the public and private sectors appear to be moving in the same direction: modernizing, professionalizing, and making transparent an industry that, when well regulated, can become an engine of development, job creation, and tax collection.