Photo by Jezael Melgoza on Unsplash

Issues, laws and culture vs gambling in Mexico

Photo by Jezael Melgoza on Unsplash

If you're visiting or moving to Mexico sometime this year, you might want to know a bit more about the gambling industry and what is and isn't allowed. Gambling has become massive across the planet in the last few years, but not every country has the same laws. So if you want to know what to do when you get to Mexico itself, then check out this handy article.

In this article, we're going to look at a few issues surrounding online gambling and gambling in general in Mexico. Aside from the laws, we'll also have a close look at what land-based gambling options are available as well as how to gamble safely in the country.

Online gambling laws in Mexico

Did you know that Mexico is fast becoming one of the biggest centres for online gambling in the world? While not many sites are actually based there, it is a popular market for many of the big online gambling giants like Netbet Casino. That's not surprising since it's one of the biggest countries in the world and has a population of around 120 million. Unlike Mexico's Northern American Neighbour, gambling is a lot more open in the country and online sites have been allowed to flourish. As more and more of those 120 million get access to the internet, this growth could look set to continue.

In 2004, Mexico opened up their online gambling legislation as they saw their outdated laws weren't realistic. This has allowed online gambling to get a big foothold in the country and gamblers have had a lot of choice.

In the short period after liberalisation of gambling laws in Mexico, a few online casino operating licenses were granted in the country. However, most of the operators currently running in the country aren't based in Mexico itself. The law regarding gambling in Mexico is still unclear. While it's generally open to Mexicans and there are plenty of sites operating in the country, this isn't still 100% legal.

There are rumours that the Government in Mexico might be looking to crack down and tighten up gambling laws even more. This is a move which would be at odds with gambling legislation north of the border. Online gambling is probably already here to stay, so it will be an important decision.

Land-based gambling laws in Mexico

Gambling has culturally had a long history in Mexico, but this was tightened up in the early part of the 20th century as casinos were closed en masse. Unregulated sports betting and lotto games still remained popular, but casinos didn't start to open again for a few more decades when laws became relaxed.

If you're looking for some good gambling options, there are some great casinos in Mexico. But you have to know where to look. There are only a few across the whole country, like Casino Life in Mexico City and a few other resort options. While there might not be casinos everywhere, these are great places to enjoy yourself and gamble. They have a ton of different gambling, entertainment and eating options. You could make a day out or a week of it. To be able to gamble in these casinos, you'll need to have full ID and be over 21 years of age. You also will need to not be obviously intoxicated.

How to gamble safely in Mexico

While all casinos should have full security, they aren't always in the safest areas and don't always attract the safest selection of clientele. So you'll need to be careful when visiting a casino in Mexico, especially if you're new to the country.

Make sure you have full ID and are not intoxicated. Make sure you have safe transport to and from the casino. Don't talk to anyone who you don't know, and make sure you keep your cash safe and secure. Pay extra attention and be even more careful when you're getting your cash changed to or from chips.

These are the sort of precautions you should use anywhere. Drug use can be popular in casinos so you might need to be careful. That being said, most casinos visits should be safe and you can have a lot of fun. Just plan your evening properly.

How Mexican culture has influenced online gambling

If you've seen the growth in online slots globally, you'll probably have seen how they've been influenced by different cultures. There have been all sorts of online gambling games and many of these have different themes to attract a range of different visitors and gamblers. if you're into superheroes, there's something for you.

One area that has seen growth thanks to different cultures and even history are that of online slots themes. Many of these have been influenced by Mexican, Central American and South American history and mythology. One of the most popular themes for these slot machines are that of the Aztecs. The Aztecs have been an important part of Mexican history and still play a big role in their culture. And their gambling.

The thing with the Aztecs is that they had a lot of gold. It was their main currency and when the Spanish arrived they plundered lots of it. That's why Central American cultures like the Aztecs have always been famous for the gold they had, and that's why they make a good theme for slot machines.

Not only does an Aztec theme fit in with history, colour and vibrancy, but it also fits in with money. If you want to be the next person to plunder some Aztec gold, you can enjoy a range of Aztec and Mexican themed slots and other casino games when you next play online. Some of these slots like Aztec Gold are some of the most popular slots games around, and have tons of great graphics and fun sounds.

These themes are continued with El Dorado-styled slots. While El Dorado wasn't supposed to be in Mexico itself, it shares similar themes as those of the colonisation and gold of Central America.