No more casinos will be allowed in the Mexican state of Yucatan until further notice. This was announced last week by the Secretary of the Interior (SEGOB.)
Currently there are five casinos in the state capital, Merida. There is an interest among several developers to open more, but so far, no authorization has been given.
Ruben Valdez Ceh, a delegate of SEGOB, scotched a rumor that casinos would soon be allowed in the city. He noted that gaming licenses are granted by the national government, usually in multiples.
Currently the ministry is working on a series of issues related to fighting crime and corruption and to stamp out unregulated “minicasinos” that operated under the radar in alleys and shops, usually with one or two slot machines. Some of these casinos take bets of up to $105 US.
The government began enforcement against these minicasinos about a year ago. In August they raided one casino in the western part of the state and seized 39 machines. They violated the Raffles and Gambling Act of 1947.
