Criminals and Money Launderers Power Mexican Casinos

Gambling in Mexico is a mixture of both legal and illegal gambling activities. The recent proliferation of land-based betting outfits and online casinos in Mexico only powers up gambling in the country.

Drug money seeks ways to become legitimate and why not ”win” some money at friendly Mexican poker rooms for a cut to the co-operating manager. Money won then becomes clean. Same with roulette.

It’s not likely that the law enforcement officials will look at the wheel to see whether the bet matches the number. Criminals also have no problem placing a winning roulette bet on a number after the number is known. Hey, why not? It’s Mexico!

The truth is that under Mexican gambling laws only few casinos are allowed to operate legally, just like in the United States, which apparently benefits the operators with the barriers of entry.

However, this leads the Mexican gamblers to offshore online casinos, or gang-owned outfits. Indeed, gangs can make money off illegal gambling plus launder their drug dealing and smuggling cash. What an Eldorado!

While the legal casinos could move into gambling destinations, currently run by mafias, they tend to avoid these as the regulatory climate is not certain. This creates too much investment risk and casinos don’t like that despite gambling being a risky game. Risky game, but not for casinos. The casinos rely on the laws of statistics, the small edges, which allow them to rake in hard cash.

And when we’re talking about illegal outfits, the edges are even bigger. Mafia bosses like bigger cuts and quick cash. Don’t count your blackjack cards there and don’t do poker tricks, especially not in Mexico. Otherwise, you might find yourself in Rio Grande without a head.