Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has introduced an initiative leading to the prohibition of slot machines in casinos nationwide. This new legislation aims to reform the gambling industry and strengthen oversight in this sector. Back in 2016, Mexico’s Supreme Court unanimously endorsed this reform.
However, the country’s gambling laws had not been updated for over 70 years, with the last amendments made in 1947. The proposed changes, spearheaded by the Ministry of the Interior, are part of an update to the Regulations of the Federal Law on Games and Raffles (RFLGS), as reported by World Casino News.
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The reform seeks to completely eliminate slot machines that use number or symbol draws from the list of permitted activities. Instead, only games such as chess, dominoes, checkers, bowling, billiards, and dice-based raffles will remain legally allowed. President Obrador has previously stated that numerous casinos obtained their licenses illegally, particularly during the presidency of Felipe Calderón. Despite these concerns, local authorities in some regions continued to authorize the opening of new gambling establishments.
In Mexico, gambling oversight is handled by the Directorate of Games and Raffles, which operates under the Ministry of the Interior. This body is the sole authority responsible for issuing casino licenses in the country.
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Meanwhile, gambling continues to spark controversies in other parts of the world. In Singapore, three Chinese nationals attempted to steal casino chips using glue applied to their palms. They managed to swipe chips worth 1,575 Singapore dollars before being apprehended. In the United States, a cashier at Monarch Casino broke into a vault and stole half a million dollars. Additionally, in Chicago, a patron of Rivers Casino Des Plaines fell victim to an armed robbery. Two assailants stole his $40,000 winnings at gunpoint. Follow the industry leaders and casino giants – read gambling business news now.