Mexico’s crackdown on slot machines that will likely see mass shutdowns caused by changes in the Regulations of the Federal Gaming and Sweepstakes Law could be offset by phenomenal growth of 70 percent projected in the online gaming sector, Yogonet reported January 3.
Last November the government announced that it will not grant new slot machine permits, or renew existing permits—which will result in about 90 percent of the gambling sector drying up, according to the Association of Permit Holders, Operators and Suppliers of the Entertainment and Gambling Industry in Mexico (AIEJA).
Miguel Angel Ochoa, president of AIEJA, told Yogonet: “Although at the moment it does not prohibit slot machines, it practically prohibits the opening of new halls in the country and this implies that there could be no more gaming halls in the future. If this catastrophic horizon were to materialize, there would effectively be no more machines, nor live gaming tables.”
That contrasts with the dramatic, accelerated growth predicted for the online sector and virtual casinos. Gaming operators expect that players will move from land-based slot machines to virtual casinos as their options are curtailed.
Bernardo Verdejo Landeros, marketing and loyalty manager of the online division of Strendus, told El Financiero newspaper, “For the next three years, online casinos have very good prospects, we expect a growth in revenue of up to 70 percent, well above the projections we had a few months ago.”
If the sector grows at 70 percent, revenue would reach about $4.63 billion. Prior to the government action, online revenue projects for 2027 were 31 percent, or $3.49 billion, compared to $2.39 billion in 2023.
Landeros said, “The advantage of being an online casino is that these provisions would not be affecting us, in such a way that the possibilities for growth are very great, we even foresee that new competitors will enter given the complicated conditions that physical casinos are facing.”
Mexicans who have used online gaming platforms are about 17.3 percent of those with internet access. As those numbers increase and more residents acquire smartphones, the number of online casino users is expected to increase to 31.6 million by the end of 2028, says Statista.
Roberto Müller, chief financial officer of the online casino Playdoit, told Yogonet: “The expectations for growth in this sector are very high, it is expected that in the coming years, there will be a growth in the number of users, thanks to the fact that there are more and more options for betting and also due to the growing interest of women in sports betting.”
