PAN seeks to ban 'Betting Houses' in soccer matches in Mexico City

With an initiative to add articles to the General Law on Physical Culture and Sports, as well as modifications to the Criminal Code, the National Action legislator will propose that in case of violating the law on the matter, creditors could be charged with the crime of fraud. which is punishable by a sentence of 3 to 12 years in jail.

He explained that Mexico, as part of the 2026 World Cup venue, must generate regulations that grant full transparency and certainty about the legality of sports presented as shows in the country.

As main background, he said, the case of the Barcelona Football Club (FCB) of the Spanish league is exposed, which had to remove the sponsorship of a betting house from its clothing.

He added that in the English Premier League, they have also just established an agreement so that sports clubs omit the generation of agreements or sponsorships of these establishments.

In Brazil, on May 10, the federal prosecutor announced an investigation involving players internationally, which had repercussions in the United States MLS and players, who had to be separated from their clubs for being subject to investigations for soccer match fixing

While in Chile, a law that prohibits sponsorship relationships between bookmakers and professional sports clubs will be enacted in Congress.

In Mexico, Barrera said, although Federations cannot be regulated as such for being an 'AC', prohibitions can be established on sports presented as entertainment, and these Civil Associations have to respect this regulation.

"Since there is a possible conflict of interest when being a sponsor, representative or owner of a betting house and at the same time showing off as the owner of a sports club that offers a show due to the clear conflict of interest that this could generate," he said.