Senator Martinez says that these uncertified slot machines could be tampered with thereby giving the house an unfair edge over players. The Senator has called on the government to expedite the 1947 Raffles and Gambling Act in order to crack down on these uncertified slot machines and protect players from being exploited and becoming victims of fraud.
According to a report on G3Newswire Senator Martinez said: "The legal vacuums that persist make it difficult to regulate this activity, while the number of bookmakers, games, and raffles continues to grow with uncertified machines.”
The Senator stated that based on the Gaming board which is a part of the Interior Ministry (SEGOB), the board has so far issued 789 gaming licenses and a total of 434 casinos were currently in operation. More than 50 % of these casinos were running their operations on the margins of what was deemed legal since they were protected by the local courts. This was one of the main reasons why these casinos have not been properly certified.
Senator Martinez also highlighted the fact that the increase in the number of uncertified slot machines was because the 1947 Act was amended in 2004 and allowed casino operators to expand their services.
The Mexican Senate is currently reviewing a new set of gaming reforms which include removing the authority of local courts from protecting casinos and issuing stays of closure when they are found to be breaching current gaming laws in the country. The new laws will allow operators who have licenses under the 1947 Raffles and Gambling Act to continue to operate till their license expires, after which they will have to apply for a new license meeting all of the stipulated requirements.
