Gambling trade body AIEJA urges the Sheinbaum government to seize the opportunity to double casino visitation to 10 million by 2030, repositioning gambling as an economic lever for Mexico’s wider tourism, hospitality, and leisure sectors.
The government of Mexico has been urged to seize the opportunity to help Mexican casinos become the next hotspot destination for North and Latin America.
The vision is led by the Association of Permit Holders, Operators, and Suppliers of the Entertainment and Gambling Industry (AIEJA), which has called on policymakers to modernise outdated regulations and support one of the country’s fastest-growing entertainment sectors.
According to AIEJA, Mexico’s casinos currently welcome around five million visitors per year, with projections suggesting that number could double to 10 million by 2030. The trade body believes this growth could position the country as a major regional entertainment and tourism hub, delivering economic benefits across leisure, hospitality, and technology industries.
“With clear rules, the state gains stability, operators gain certainty, and consumers gain protection,” said AIEJA President Miguel Ángel Ochoa Sánchez. “Mexico has the opportunity to become a leading entertainment destination in Latin America — but only if the regulatory and fiscal framework evolves in line with technological and demographic change.”
Mexico has gaze of investors eyes
The leadership of Codere Online (Codere SA), Grupo CIRSA, and Playtech Plc have all identified Mexico as a key strategic market for future investment.
However, executives have warned that these plans could be revised or delayed if the proposed tax increase to 50% on gaming income is implemented without prior consultation or reform of the existing framework.
Industry representatives stress that taxation must be conditional on an updated and transparent legal base, noting that the Federal Gaming and Lottery Law of 1947 is no longer capable of governing the complexity of modern gambling markets.
Younger demographic shifts Casinos reputation
AIEJA notes that Mexico’s casino audience is undergoing a generational shift, with younger demographics under the age of 40 increasingly viewing gaming venues as social and leisure spaces for entertainment, dining, and digital engagement – changing the perspective of casinos.
For investors, online platforms have become complementary channels to land-based casinos, shaping a unified entertainment for consumers who need the urgent protections of a modernised governance and cross-sector collaboration.
Dialogue on Fiscal Reform
The trade body is urging the MORENA government to open a formal consultation process before applying any new taxes.
“Taxation must go hand-in-hand with regulatory reform,” AIEJA stated. “Before new fiscal burdens are applied, the government should update the legal framework to ensure all economic sectors — from tourism to technology — can participate safely in the regulation and governance of gambling.”
2026: A point of inflection for Mexico gambling laws
The association highlights 2026 as a crucial turning point, coinciding with both Mexico’s co-hosting of the FIFA World Cup and the rollout of a new national budget.
AIEJA argues that this moment provides a unique opportunity to align fiscal and regulatory policy, boosting investment confidence while strengthening consumer protection.
Although MORENA officials acknowledge that the 1947 law is outdated, little progress has been made toward comprehensive reform. Until a new framework is introduced, Mexico’s gambling industry will continue to operate under legislation written long before the digital era.
AIEJA concludes that Mexico stands “at the crossroads of potential and policy” — with the chance to shape a world-class, responsibly governed gaming destination that drives growth across the wider economy.
