Mexico is a country in Latin America where gambling is legal. Still, Mexican gambling laws are highly outdated, unlike many of its neighbors who have updated their gambling laws. However, when it comes to online casino platforms, Mexican players have free access to these, as this is an unregulated field, which means people can go online and join one of many casino websites available in Mexico.
Here we’ll take a much closer look at the online gambling industry in Mexico. We’ll outline every important aspect Mexican players need to note before joining one of the many online casino platforms that accept players from Mexico.
Mexico has a very long history of gambling and betting that dates back to the ancient Maya and Aztec civilizations. Many forms of gambling have been rooted in Mexican history, but the Spanish and French occupations of Mexico banned many forms of gambling for a long time.
After the country gained its independence, the new government brought a law banning gambling, the Federal Gambling and Raffles Law, in 1947. Such law is almost inapplicable by today’s standards, so the country made several changes in 2004 and updated the law again in 2014.
Many Mexicans have been proponents of improving the legality of gambling in Mexico, as it would improve the tourism industry. So, after several concessions and changes, Mexico made sports betting legal, but the changes affected all aspects of gambling and now generally regulate online gambling.
Per Mexican law, online gambling is defined as a betting game that is done through the web in real-time, by using any electronic device that can be connected to the Internet, and in which there is no physical contact between the participant and the concessionaire.
Is Online Casino Legal in Mexico?
Online gambling is legal in Mexico as long as it is done online via an electronic device, via the Internet, and there is no physical contact between the participant and the concessionaire.
Ow that we’ve explained that online gambling is legal in Mexico, let’s outline the key things an excellent online casino should have, and any Mexican player needs to be aware of these:
Mexican players should look for online casino websites with a strong reputation. To be safe, make sure the casino platform is not related to any embarrassing scandal.
Since using an online gambling platform requires using all your personal data, proper security is vital. A critical thing to check is the website’s SSL certificate and encryption parameters.
The game types provided by the online gaming platform are a major deciding factor, and when it comes to Mexican players, the online casino platform should have a good list of casino games.
Online gambling requires players to deposit real money, so Mexicans need to select an online casino website that provides safe and secure payment methods.
An excellent online casino should have quality customer support service in place. Players from Mexico should look for an online gaming platform with friendly, knowledgeable, and professional customer support agents.
Another important thing is the language support. Not many Mexicans know English very well, so Spanish language support is vital for a good customer experience.
The casino website should provide a good welcome offer for new players. As all online casino platforms have a welcome offer, you should select one with fair terms and conditions clearly explained.
Mexicans should look for sites that provide games from world-renowned gaming software developers, ensuring greater customer satisfaction.
It is easy to get down the rabbit hole when gambling, so any online casino platform should have a program to support responsible gambling and clearly outline the helpline numbers.
Online gambling is relatively straightforward, so here are the steps Mexican players need to take so they can start gambling online:
As we noted, Mexicans have a very long history of betting and gambling, and Mexicans mainly prefer to place bets on US sports and love horse racing and cockfighting. Still, they also love casino games, and here are the most popular games among people from Mexico.
Craps is a dice game where the players bet on the outcome of the throw of a pair of dice, betting against the casino. Online casinos have made this game available globally, and Mexicans seem fascinated with craps.
Poker is a fan favorite among Mexicans. This table game gained widespread popularity in the 2000s when it was banned in the USA, and many poker fans looked for a closeby substitute, choosing Mexico as their location. It led to poker being popularized, and now Mexicans, like many other Central American countries, love playing Caribbean Poker, Texas Hold’Em, and Stud poker.
Mexicans also love other card and dice games. They prefer to play live dealer games, as these bring the experience as close to the real casino experience as possible.
Every online casino website has some kind of welcome bonus for new players. Mexicans prefer to take advantage of these bonuses, and here are the most commonly offered bonuses for gamblers from Mexico:
The no deposit bonus is among the preferred bonus deals for Mexicans. Still, the no deposit bonus usually comes with wagering requirements and additional terms and conditions and is not something that is commonly found on online casino websites.
The deposit match bonus is attractive as it grants a percentage of your initial deposit to the gambling website, and Mexicans often take advantage of this bonus. It also comes with wagering requirements and terms and conditions, so we advise Mexican players to first check the T&Cs before opting to get the deposit match bonus.
Payout rates should play a critical role when choosing an online casino in any country. When it comes to Mexican players and their preferred games, the payout rates are vital, as these depend on the actual games they play.
Since Mexicans prefer craps, poker, and other table games, they should look for the payout rates for these games. Most online casino platforms have high payout rates for craps, poker, and table games, ranging from 95% to 99%.
The banking methods also play a critical role when selecting an online casino website. The other things don’t matter if you don’t have an available and convenient way to deposit funds to start playing the games. Here are the most common deposits methods for Mexican gamblers:
✅ Credit/Debit Cards – Using a credit or a debit card in Mexico to deposit your real money to the online gambling platform is the fastest and most convenient way. The most common credit and debit cards in Mexico are Visa and MasterCard, and almost all online casinos accept these. However, there is a risk involved in sharing your personal details with the casino site that exposes these to possible hacking attacks.
✅ Prepaid Cards – Mexicans prefer to use prepaid card systems that help prevent sharing your personal details with the cash recipient. There are several prepaid options for Mexicans through which they can transfer cash to their preferred casino website:
✅ Todito Cash – this is a local Mexican prepaid card system where people purchase the cards with cash in local stores and can then use them to pay for various things online. Todito Cash deals in pesos, so there may be some conversion fees, as most online casino websites deal in US dollars, British pounds, or euros.
✅ PaySafeCard – a global prepaid voucher system that many online casinos accept. PaySafeCard is an anonymous payment system, as the vouchers can be purchased for cash in local stores and topped up using secure codes.
✅ AstroPay – another widely accepted prepaid card system, is also available for Mexicans. AstroPay cards can be purchased online or in retail stores, guaranteeing anonymity. Transferencia Bancaria is a Mexican prepaid card system powered by AstroPay, and Mexicans can use it to transfer cash from their bank account to their online casino account.
✅ OXXO – a secure payment option used to deposit funds to online gambling websites. Mexicans can buy OXXO vouchers in Mexican pesos and use the vouchers to deposit funds to their chosen online casino platform.
✅ E-Wallets – Using e-wallets like Neteller, Skrill, or PayPal is easy and convenient to deposit money to an online gambling platform. Mexican players can take advantage of each of these. Still, some online casino websites may not accept PayPal, as this is the most widespread e-wallet globally, and people may not be very familiar with the other options.
What Is the Best Payment Option for Mexican Players?
Mexican casino players have many convenient deposit and withdrawal methods like Visa and MasterCard and use e-wallets and bank transfers. Still, the preferred payment methods for Mexicans are prepaid card systems like Todito Cash, PaySafeCard, AstroPay, and OXXO.
The legal online casino websites in Mexico provide generous welcome bonuses, deposit matching bonuses, seasonal promotions, and run VIP and loyalty programs. Mexicans usually take advantage of these as many online casinos have made almost irresistible bonus offers.
While the legal aspect of online gambling in Mexico is still very unregulated, online gambling is legal and allowed. However, for personal safety, when selecting an online casino platform, always look for one that has a proper license and is regulated by a respectable gaming commission.
The legal online casino must have up-to-date SSL encryption, transparent terms and conditions, and independently tested RNGs. These are essential things to note, not only for Mexican players but for people from all over the world.
When selecting a legal online casino platform in Mexico, you need to consider the games offered by the online casino website. Mexicans prefer craps, poker, and other table games, so the legal online casino platform should have a good offer of such games. Also, the legal online casino platforms should support the Spanish language to better cater to Mexican players.
Quality customer service is crucial for online casinos, and Mexicans should sign up for legal online casino platforms with excellent customer service. Customer service agents usually solve any possible problem, so they need to be knowledgeable, friendly, and resourceful.
Above, we’ve covered the vital aspect of online gambling in Mexico. So, instead of a conclusion, we’ve prepared seven expert tips to help you start and enjoy online gambling in Mexico.
Yes, it is safe to gamble online in Mexico, as the Mexican online gambling laws still don’t have explicit rules on this activity. Per Mexican laws, online gambling is considered legal as long as it is done online via an electronic device connected to the Internet and there is no physical contact between the participant and the concessionaire. That means that Mexicans can take advantage of this and play at any global online casino website.
Mexican casinos accept players older than 18 years. All online casinos have the same stipulation of accepting players older than 18, but in several Mexican states, the age restriction is 21.
Yes, all online casino sites require Mexican players to sign up before being able to play the provided games. Several no-account casino sites are available, but these are far and in-between.
Mexicans must report their winnings and pay taxes on these. These taxes vary from 2 to 30%, depending on the players’ state.
The withdrawal depends on the online gambling platform and the selected withdrawal method. Online casinos usually process withdrawal requests within 24 hours, but it may take anywhere from 2 to 10 business days for the money to reach your account.
All online casino platforms have plenty of accepted deposit methods like credit cards, e-wallets, bank transfers, and even cryptocurrencies. However, Mexicans prefer to use prepaid card systems like Todito Cash, PaySafeCard, AstroPay, and OXXO.
Most online casinos prefer to make payouts the same way the money was deposited. Since Mexicans prefer to deposit cash via prepaid card systems, they usually withdraw their winnings via bank transfer or credit/debit cards.
The accepted currencies depend solely on the online casinos, and the most common currencies are US dollars, British pounds, and euros. However, Mexicans usually make deposits in Mexican pesos, and conversion fees may apply.
Some online casinos have a no-deposit offer that allows new players to get a small amount of free money to play a game or two.
Yes, most online casino platforms add links to relevant helplines helping with gambling problems, including Gamblers Anonymous and BeGambleAware.org. However, Mexico also has specialized government-supported and private clinics like Clinica Brisas and Punto De Partida that help people with gambling addictions.
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