Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong, México’s Secretary of the Interior, told reporters that México is preparing to authorize the construction of casinos in popular tourist resorts, including Acapulco, Baja California and the Mayan Riviera. He said the idea is to keep new casinos from springing up in urban areas, where they are more likely to rely on a local clientele.
Osorio Chong said the number of new casinos that will be permitted in resorts has yet to be determined. According to government records there are currently 297 gambling venues in México and, using a formula based on the number of permits issued by previous federal governments, the new project could result in as many as 775 casinos being developed in resorts popular with affluent tourists.
The head of the Mexican Association of Professional Real Estate Agents said certain unnamed “Las Vegas-based firms” had already expressed interest in setting up shop at resort properties in Cancun.
México’s legislature is currently in the process of passing its new Federal Betting and Raffles Law. The bill was approved by the House of Representatives in December and is scheduled to be considered by the Senate later this month. Maria Marcela González Salas, the Director General of Gaming and Raffles, said there is still time to amend the bill to include the resort casino project.
The new legislation is an attempt by the federal government to exert control over the country’s casino industry. The proposed legislation requires current casino licensees to reapply for licensing, which the head of the country’s gaming association has warned could spark a flurry of court challenges if many of these operators are denied new licenses.
In 2013, México reduced casino license terms from 40 to 25 years and revoked the ability of casino licensees to pass licenses on to other operators.
(from CalvinArye.com)
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