Interactive
Mexico – Mexico’s online betting market stands at over US$2bn
By Phil - 15 November 2017
Online betting in Mexico stood at US$2bn billion dollars last year, but 90 per cent – US$1,800m was made via illegal online sites.
The data was made pubic by President of the Association of Licensees and Suppliers of Games and Draws (ASPJAC) Alfonso Pérez Lizuar.
Lizuar told El Financiero: “The gaming industry in Mexico is struggling, because online gaming is taking a part of the physical gaming market, today’s players prefer to bet online rather than in physical casinos and thus avoid paying taxes.” Government sanctioned betting via legally authorised sites currently makes up only 10 per cent of all of all market revenues, while land based casinos make up the remaining 90 per cent.
The upward trend towards online betting was confirmed according to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI). Gambling income grew by an average of six per cent from January to August 2017, while gaming online saw a 21 per cent increase in that same period.
The latest statistics show that gambling via offshore betting sites has grown significantly since 2015. According to The Mexican Operators and Providers for the Entertainment and Gaming Industry (AIEJA), the size of the online market already stood at US$300m in 2015. In March 2016 members of the gaming industry in Mexico urged lawmakers to regulate online gaming quickly due to the fact that the market was being targeted by offshore operators. Lack of government control was, they argued, leading to a growth of illegal gaming especially amongst minors making it the fastest-growing online gaming market in Latin America.
Online gaming has been permitted via special license in Mexico since 2000, but only land based operators have been allowed to offer their services locally. The growth of casino-style gaming has led to an increased interest in betting online and growth is being driven by sports betting as well. As a result, a number of foreign operators have signed agreements with licensed land based operators in Mexico who have been granted permission to offer online games by the Interior Ministry (SEGOB).
