AIEJA: Illegal Mexican Market Growth, a Critical Threat
The Association of Licensees, Operators, and Providers of the Entertainment and Gambling Industry (AIEJA) has expressed deep concern over the sustained advance of the illegal market in Mexico. During his participation in the international NEXT Summit NYC 2026 forum, the entity's president, Miguel Ángel Ochoa, pointed out that the proliferation of unauthorized platforms constitutes a direct threat to companies operating within the legal framework. This situation takes on strategic relevance given the proximity of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a massive event that will test the responsiveness, security, and integrity of the entire betting ecosystem in the country.
During the panel titled "Brazil and Mexico under pressure: the issues no one wants to address," Ochoa was emphatic in describing the factors currently undermining the competitiveness of the formal Mexican industry. The leader explained that the combination of a regulatory framework that has not fully adapted to the technical reality of online gaming, coupled with a considerably high tax burden, is hindering the development of regulated operators. For AIEJA, this stagnation is especially risky at a time when demand for digital entertainment is growing exponentially and users are often exposed to foreign sites that offer no guarantees of protection, responsible gambling, or financial transparency.
The economic relevance of this sector in Mexico is the central argument in the demand for better regulatory conditions that the industry has been pushing for some time. Currently, the gaming and betting industry generates nearly 200,000 jobs, both direct and indirect, and contributes approximately 0.5 percent of the national Gross Domestic Product. According to the analysis presented by Ochoa, a profound update of the laws would not only serve to protect these jobs but would also attract new international investments that are currently observing with caution the lack of clear rules against the unfair competition from irregular operators who do not pay taxes in the country.
With an eye on the kickoff of the next World Cup, the association seeks to professionalize the market and establish fair competition conditions to ensure that the benefits of this event are channeled through the supervised legal circuit. After the meeting in New York, AIEJA's agenda will move to Bogotá, Colombia, in May, where it will participate in the tenth Ibero-American Gaming Summit. This meeting will bring together regulators and representatives from key nations such as Brazil, Argentina, and Spain, with the support of major industry firms like Cirsa, Sportium, and Novomatic, with the firm purpose of continuing to promote Latin America as a regulated market that generates real opportunities for economic and social development.
Tags: Mexico, AIEJA Mexico, NextIO Summit NY, online betting Mexico