An initiative to tighten regulation in Mexico is presented
Deputy Alberto Martínez Urincho, from the Morena parliamentary group, presented an initiative to the Congress of Mexico City to reform the Federal Law on Games and Lotteries, with the aim of strengthening the regulation of digital platforms and gambling providers, and to formally recognize problem gambling as an addiction requiring priority attention from public health. As this is federal legislation, the proposal must first be analyzed by the Local Public Administration Commission and then by the plenary of the capital's Congress, and if approved, it will be sent to the Congress of the Union to continue the legislative process.
The initiative proposes adding an article to define problem gambling as a physical and psycho-emotional illness that generates compulsive gambling behavior and must be addressed as a priority by health authorities, and modifying another to incorporate new obligations for operators and platforms. Among the main measures, the project establishes the obligation to display visible warnings about the risks of compulsive gambling and the prohibition of participation by minors, and to implement strict identity controls through biometric recognition on online gaming platforms.
The proposal also seeks to prohibit advertising by operators at sports events or in their sports references in the media, eliminate promotions, welcome bonuses, and other incentives to attract new users, and ban bets on political events, armed conflicts, natural disasters, humanitarian crises, or any other event that violates human dignity. Furthermore, it proposes that the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Health create a voluntary national registry of people with problem gambling, in order to prevent their access to both land-based casinos and online gaming platforms.
During the presentation, Martínez Urincho argued that digitalization and permanent access through mobile devices have transformed the betting market and increased the exposure of the population, especially young people, and stated that advertising on social media and streaming platforms promotes a fantasy of easy money that can lead to addictive behaviors. The legislator described problem gambling as a silent epidemic and cited official figures according to which between 4 and 8 percent of the adolescent population in Mexico exhibits problematic or dependent use of these activities, in addition to estimates indicating that up to 3.9 million people could suffer from it. As he explained, the gaming industry represents a market close to 200 billion pesos annually in the country, which is why he considered it necessary to update the regulatory framework to balance the sector's development with greater consumer protection measures and an approach focused on prevention and treatment.
This is a sensitive topic. If you are experiencing a problematic gambling situation or know someone who is, I can help you find appropriate support resources.
Tags: Alberto Martínez Urincho, Federal Law on Games and Lotteries, national problem gambling registry, biometric verification