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Find Your Best Online Casino in Mexico for 2024
When it comes to online casinos, Mexico is still deciding where it wants to be in the 21st century. Authorities recognize that online gambling in Mexico is rife and there’s no stopping it. Like other attitudes adopted by countries around the world which have gradually moved towards relaxing gambling prohibitions and letting the industry grow for the benefit of their own country, such as online gambling in Chile, Mexico seems to be pondering these actions and making progress.
Online gambling in Mexico is on everyone’s mind. Most recently in 2020, there were optimistic signs pointing to a more open approach to the industry to help the economy recover from the COVID-19 crisis. In fact, similar to gambling in Peru, casino shutdowns hit Mexico hard.
If the current government can finalise a proper gaming law, it could mean regulated and legal slots and casino games on Mexican soil. Until then, Mexican gamblers will have to make do with land-based casinos and offshore sites. You’ll find no problem accessing these foreign-based Mexican online casinos to play games. Your gaming experience is in expert hands here, because VegasSlotsOnline’s selection of online casinos for Mexico players reflects the “quality over everything” principle we stick to when recommending gambling sites.
The fact of the matter is that there are no hard-and-fast laws banning foreign online casinos, although the Draft Bill for the Federal Gaming Law does mention gambling through electronic devices connected to the web. Mexico gamblers can bet on the web at regulated offshore sites without any concerns.
As in other countries, Mexicans are drawn to big-money slots and progressive jackpot games. In countries like Spain or the United Kingdom, players can deposit and have a shot at million-dollar jackpots from the biggest game developers at the top Mexican online casinos on this page.
Best Deposit Methods for Online Casinos in Mexico
All online casinos available in Mexico will let you play for real money and use a variety of deposit methods too. Mexico has a few dedicated local banking options in pesos too, that will be able to use on many of these sites. Visa and MasterCard are a good, secure payment methods which carry top security and encryption.
If an online casino prohibits card payments from Mexico, however, there are several alternatives. Local prepaid card systems like Todito Cash are a great solution as you won’t have to share credit card details online. Prepaid cards can also be bought with cash at participating stores.
Paysafecard
Paysafecard is a leading prepaid voucher scheme for paying for goods online. Paysafecard is also ideal for making online gambling transactions. Mexicans can purchase vouchers at eligible outlets around the country or buy top-up cards online. You can buy multiple vouchers too.
To transfer money to your player account, simply enter the Paysafecard voucher number when prompted in your account dashboard. There are no fees and the minimum deposit amounts can go fairly low.
AstroPay
AstroPay is a virtual prepaid card that can be used to fund a casino account. Prepaid cards can be bought in Mexican shops or online, and you never have to share credit card details with the online casinos. Mexican players can sometimes use Transferencia Bancaria, which is powered by AstroPay as well. It lets you transfer cash from your Mexican bank account directly to the casino website.
OXXO
OXXO is a secure payment option for depositing at online casinos. You can buy special OXXO vouchers in MXN at certain outlets in Mexico. To transfer some cash, just enter your OXXO voucher number online at the casino Cashier. Withdrawals are made using a Mexican bank transfer where possible, but there may be some fees.
Live Betting and Land-Based Casinos
As with online gambling in Mexico, there is no specific mention of land-based casinos and betting establishments in the new Draft Bill. That hasn't stopped hundreds of casinos from the USA and betting shops appearing in Mexico over the years. And any type of "draw" game must be provided by operators who have authorization from the Ministry of the Interior (SEGOB).
Currently, however, the reach of SEGOB remains broad and regulation is neither consistent nor strict. There’s no ban on locals gambling in casinos or racetracks. SEGOB gambling permit holders are subject to a 30% tax rate. Tax rates may be applied to players' winnings in some circumstances.
Casinos and Sports Betting
There are an estimated 300 casinos and gambling establishments in Mexico. Most of these are casino chains and other betting establishments. Some, like the Winpot in Playa del Carmen, are little more than small shopping mall sites with slot machines, bingo terminals and sports betting facilities. Some smaller casinos have human dealers rather than just relying on electronic terminals, which gives them a personal touch.
Slot machines were first authorized in 2013 but again, the definition of a slot machine is vague in Mexican law. Some permits are given to slot machines if chance is primarily involved. Poker games like Caribbean Stud and Casino Hold'em can be found in casinos, especially the bigger tourist spots in Cancun.
The Dubai Palace Casino runs on a SEGOB gaming permit and offers big-prize giveaways as part of its regular promotions. Mexico City is also home to some of the country's better casinos. PlayCity has several hundred slots, as well as an on-site sportsbook.
In this loosely regulated market, each operators tend to run many establishments. PlayCity alone has over a dozen casinos in Mexico, from Acapulco to Puebla. Playa del Carmen, on the east coast, boasts three decent casinos, or "gaming centers", in the Grand Riviera, Winpot, and Bet and Win.
Travel warnings are constantly issued to US tourists travelling to the area, however. The US government has warned of kidnappings, muggings, and even murders of any tourists displaying visible signs of wealth, so playing at Mexico online casinos is a far safer and wiser decision to make.
Horse Racing and Greyhounds
Pari-mutuel (pooled prize) betting is allowed at Mexico's dog tracks and racecourses. Mexico City's Hippodrome de l'Americas is one of the best-known. However, Tijuana's Agua Caliente Racetrack is the main center for greyhounds.
Poker
There’s no specific law governing poker in Mexico. However, in 2011, PokerStars held its first major stop there with the Latin American Poker Tour (LAPT). The $3,700 Hold'em tournament took place in Playa del Carmen.
Mexico was a major destination for US expat professional poker players leaving home after Black Friday. With their livelihoods gone, US online pros went south in search of more relaxed attitudes to poker and a cheaper way of life. While some licensed online poker rooms won't accept Mexican-based players, there are still plenty that do.
Lottery
There are several lotteries that run in Mexico, with much of the ticket sales going to good causes. In the Melate lottery, players choose six numbers between one and 56, along with an additional jackpot number. There is an additional Melate wheel (lettered A-E) for an extra jackpot. Jackpots are seeded at 30 million pesos.
Gambling in the US
Mexicans also have the opportunity to travel to the United States to gamble. Nevada is home to Las Vegas, one of the world's greatest gambling hotspots. And California, over the border, has legalized poker and nearly 70 Indian casinos.
Gambling Laws in Mexico in 2024
Gambling and games of chance have been around in Mexico since the first days of independence as a new nation. Indeed, many of the country’s archaic gambling laws originated in the 1880s and existing laws are decades old. Gambling has taken place in the country for centuries. The French first introduced casino-style games in the 19th century, and gambling houses were popular with the locals as late as the 1920s.
Following the Mexican Revolution of 1911, French colonists were driven out of the country and all French-style gambling shut down. The Catholic Church then campaigned for laws to maintain these restrictions. Since 1947, when a new law was drafted, Mexico has seen unregulated sports betting and casinos pop up everywhere.
The Federal Games and Draws Law (Gaming Law) was unclear in its interpretation of games of chance. In fact, there was no legal definition of gambling included in the law. While games of chance were generally banned, some dice games, dominoes, horse races, and draws were permitted.
In 2000, new president Vicente Fox suggested Mexico could rival Las Vegas as a major gambling hub in the region. His plans for mega casino resorts drew a lot of criticism from the Catholic Church, which still has a lot of influence in Mexican society.
Gambling is now licensed in Mexico and subject to federal regulations and tax. It was only in 2004 that any tangible attempt was made to update the very old-fashioned laws. The Regulations of the Federal Games and Draws Law (Gaming Regulations) were quickly implemented that year. Effectively, it enabled the Mexican government to add on rules and regulations to the Gaming Law where it sees fit. The law was amended in 2012 and 2013 to incorporate slot machines and electronic gaming terminals involving an element of skill. Slot machines are permitted in Mexico, as long as operators hold the right permit.
When the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI, which translates into “Institutional Revolutionary Party”) took back power in 2012, a commitment was made to grow the gaming industry in Mexico. The government wanted to better regulate the country's 400-odd casinos.
Those efforts appeared to be moving in a successful direction in 2014, with officials suggesting that the new laws would raise the minimum age for gambling in the country to 21 and limit the availability of small gaming dens that proliferated throughout the nation. A new federal regulator was also suggested, and a licensing system would be put into place that would allow operators to apply for licenses to be renewed every 10 years.
But delays in negotiations and the process of writing and debating the bill ultimately pushed the discussion into 2015, despite the fact that it easily passed through the lower house of the country’s legislature. The next year saw potential changes to the bills, including allowing casinos to be put into popular resort cities that draw numerous tourists each year. These efforts once again stalled, despite the fact that officials had said once again that the legislation was virtually assured to pass at some point during the year. As of yet, no bill has ultimately been successfully passed.
Mexico at a Glance
Population: 120 million
Legal Age of Gambling: 18
Land-based Casinos: Yes
Online Casinos Legal: No
Popular Games: Bingo terminals, IVTs (Interactive Video Terminals), lottery, cock fighting, casinos, sports betting, horse racing, greyhounds
A Brief History of Mexico Casinos and Betting
1769 - Loteria, a form of bingo, is brought to Mexico (then New Spain).
19th Century - Forms of gambling exist across Mexico, including cock fighting and horse racing. The French introduce some casino-style games.
1920s - Mexico becomes a major destination for gamblers from the US escaping Prohibition.
1935 - Gambling is made illegal by then-president Lazaro Cardenas.
1947 - Permission is given to federal lawmakers to rule on games of chance played with a draw or lottery.
1948 - The Federal Games and Draws Law (Gaming Law) is enacted. It continues to be active in Mexican law.
1989 - Legalized sports betting is offered for the first time.
2000 - New president, Vicente Fox, vows to update Mexico's outdated gambling laws. His promises aren't followed through.
2004 - Regulations of the Federal Games and Draws Law (Gaming Regulations) are drawn up. The Mexican government promises to detail gambling regulation more thoroughly.
2012-13 - Further amendments are made to the Gaming Regulations.
2014 - The new government pledges to draft a new framework for gambling in the face of globalization. A draft bill of the Federal Gaming Law aims to update the legal framework in the country and create a national regulator.
