Mexican Supreme Court rejects government's bid to intervene in casino legal battles

Mexico's Supreme Court (SCJN) has denied a request from the Interior Ministry (Segob) to intervene in ongoing legal disputes over casino operations, dealing another blow to the federal government's attempts to restrict the gaming industry. The decision, made during a closed-door session on March 26, leaves key regulatory challenges in the hands of lower courts.

Segob had sought the high court's clarification on the legal status of casinos following a controversial 2023 reform by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador that tightened operating rules. However, the First Chamber ruled the ministry lacked standing to make such a request, and no justice adopted the petition.

The legal battles stem from injunctions filed by major operators including Grupo Caliente, Zitro Games, and Operadora de Coincidencias Numéricas (owner of Winpot and Crown Supreme casinos). Several companies have already won favorable rulings allowing them to offer roulette, dice, and card games despite the 2023 restrictions.

This follows a landmark January 2025 federal court decision that effectively nullified López Obrador's reforms, permitting Mexican casinos to operate Las Vegas-style games. Judges have consistently ruled that the 1947 Federal Games and Sweepstakes Law permits these games as they rely on chance rather than skill. Notably, Judge Gabriel Regis - now a Supreme Court candidate - supported this interpretation in earlier rulings.

The Supreme Court's refusal to intervene reinforces the industry's legal victories, including the overturning of bans on new slot machines. With the rulings being final and unappealable, Mexico's gaming sector appears poised for significant expansion under the longstanding 1947 law rather than the contested 2023 regulations.