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A lawmaker from Mexico’s ruling Morena party in Mexico City’s Congress has proposed amendments to the Federal Games and Sweepstakes Law aimed at tackling gambling addiction and introducing tighter controls on online gambling.
Alberto Martínez Urincho presented the initiative, which would introduce new provisions covering gambling addiction and impose additional requirements on gambling operators and digital platforms.
The proposal would formally recognise gambling addiction as an addiction with implications for mental health. It would also introduce health and risk warnings for gambling products and strengthen measures intended to prevent minors from accessing betting services.
The initiative also calls for greater identity verification of users and restrictions on certain advertising practices. According to the Mexico City Congress, the measures are intended to prevent misleading advertising and promotional campaigns aimed at vulnerable people.
The proposal would further prohibit betting on certain events, including political developments.
Martínez Urincho said the initiative was necessary to bring Mexico’s legal framework into line with the expansion of digital gambling and the risks associated with easier access to betting services.
The lawmaker cited estimates suggesting that between 4% and 8% of Mexican adolescents could exhibit problematic or dependent gambling behaviour. He also referred to estimates that as many as 3.9 million people in Mexico could be affected by gambling disorder.
The proposal does not represent an immediate change to Mexico’s gambling legislation. As it seeks to amend federal legislation, it must go through the relevant legislative process before any of its provisions could take effect.
The Mexico City Congress said the initiative would amend Article 3 of the Federal Games and Sweepstakes Law and introduce a new Article 1 Bis.
The proposal comes as the expansion of online betting continues to present regulatory challenges in Mexico, particularly around the protection of minors, advertising and responsible gambling.
The initiative will now need to progress through the legislative process before it becomes clear whether the proposed measures will be incorporated into Mexico’s federal gambling framework.
