Visitors to Mexico’s Quintana Roo, which includes the popular tourist destinations of Cancun and Playa del Carmen will now be assessed a 10 percent gaming tax over and above other taxes they will be paying while playing.
The new law was approved by the state’s congress. Players, rather than the casinos themselves, will pay the 10 percent tax on sweepstakes and gaming.
The tax is supported by several interest groups that oppose allowing casinos in tourist zones such as Cancun and Cozumel. Mexico has many small casinos and betting shops, but only a few true casinos, and they are operated by either Codere or Caliente, both international groups. It is also supported by groups concerned about problem gaming.
One of the groups opposing large casinos is the Caribbean Business Coordinating Council (Consejo Coordinador Empresarial del Caribe) or CCE del Caribe, which has tried for years to get more funding from the state government for infrastructure to attract more tourism.
According to the Yucatan Times the CCE del Caribe fears that casinos give Mexican tourist destinations and bad name.
