Online casinos accepting players from Mexico

Online gambling in Mexico is legal and virtually unregulated. Citizens are free to play wherever they like online and offshore operators are allowed to offer services to players without interference from the government. Land-based casinos in Mexico are also allowed to offer online games under special licenses since 2020.

Since the market is mostly free, players have a great variety of options to choose from. Many of the online casino game developers and aggregating suppliers that are licensed in premier jurisdictions like the UK or Malta have entered into agreements with local casinos to supply top games from all over the world.

Where licensing issues don’t interfere, offshore operators also offer Tier-1 games for players in the country. This means that gamblers have a chance to play the best games in the world no matter where they choose to play online - offshore, or with a brand such as Caliplay or Foliatti with online gaming sites acting as extensions of their land-based operations.

Online gambling has seen a boom in Latin America with more operators recognizing the importance of and entering the market. As more game developers ink deals with Mexican-facing betting sites, the way to gamble just becomes more popular.

Another reason so many residents bet online is the fact that table games are simply not available in the local slot parlors or bingo halls - no matter how big they may be. Some can be pretty large, hosting onsite sportsbooks as well.

Sportsbetting has always been popular, especially among soccer fans, and in 2005 the government brought book betting out of the shadows and into the mainstream. While players have dozens if not hundreds of bookmakers to choose from, many choose to stick with recognizable or familiar names like 888, bet365, BetCris, or Caliente when they bet online.

Others still, take the credibility of gaming hubs with multiple offerings under one virtual roof like RushBet into consideration since the site already has licensed and regulated operations in the US, Canada, and Colombia.

Sports betting makes up about 60% of all Mexican online gambling with traditional games like blackjack, lottery, poker, and slots accounting for the balance. Online gambling wagers are thought to be about four times as much as land-based betting but experts disagree on a precise number. H2 Gambling Capital pegs the number at right around $2.2 billion a year.

Legal and Tax Matters

There are simply no specific rules in place at the federal level to regulate or ban online gambling. A Presidential Decree or even a Ministerial grant seems to be all it takes to authorize or suspend the issuance of new licenses. This was made clear in 2005 when Interior Minister Santiago Creel issued over 700 licenses on his way out the door. More recently, President López Obrador has stated and restated that no new casino licenses will be issued while he is in office.

Gambling laws are a federal matter in Mexico but local and regional governments are able to ban, tax, and increase taxes on casinos. When a state attempts to license a new casino, the president has been known to put a halt to the process by threatening court action. Many of the 32 states are on-again-off-again when it comes to banning or allowing casinos.

In at least two legislative sessions since Ladbrokes became the first legal online sportsbook through a partnership with Spain’s Cirsa (Sportium), plans to regulate and tax online casinos and gambling have been put up and readied for a vote - but neither action came to fruition. The last time, in late 2017 Quintana Roo Senator Félix González Canto said that there was no rush to get it done because the new law’s focus would be on regulating the industry rather than opening the door to new casinos.

Timeline of important legal milestones

1935 - Most gambling was banned by presidential decree
1947 - Betting and Raffles Law prohibits casino and gaming nationwide
2004 - Federal Law on Gaming and Raffles made gambling legal again
2005 - Hundreds of licenses granted
2010 - Class III (real) slot machines allowed for the first time
2015 - Ladbrokes partners with Cirsa for online sportsbook and casino
2018 - TV Azteca gets a 25-year license for a land-based casino and online gambling
2020 - 16% VAT on offshore operators but no enforcement or collection mechanisms
2022 - La Lotería Nacional de México created as a single body by merging The National Lottery with LOTENAL (Lotería Nacional para la Asistencia Pública).

With the lack of concrete organizing actions at the federal level, states continue to use authority, properly exerted or not, to come up with their own regulations, raise taxes, and even attempt to issue licenses.

Industry organizations continue to push for uniform licensing, enforcement, and tax levels but it’s not clear when a system of streamlined tax revenues and the responsibilities that go with it will ever be implemented. It’s hard to imagine how it could be accomplished due to Mexico’s “unique economy”.

Legal Online Gambling in Mexico

There are very few gambling sites that will refuse to entertain players from Mexico, but not all of them have the best infrastructure in place to service customers in every region. Players in Jalisco or the Federal District have the same opportunities and responsibilities as players in Europe, Asia, or anywhere else, but they do occasionally face more difficulties. Misunderstood bonus terms, document verification, and payment methods are the three things we see come up most often when Mexican players run into trouble getting paid.

That said, there are a few simple ways to clear the field of any obstacles before you embark.

• Make sure you play at a trusted casino
• Make sure you understand the terms if you use a bonus
• Make sure you have a valid government ID
• Make sure your deposit method works for payouts or arrange another

Trusted casinos

One way to find a casino you can trust is to check into how the local licensing jurisdiction handles complaints and talk to other players around you. Sometimes a player's best bet is to not play at state-sanctioned properties for any number of reasons. While Codere or Caliente may seem perfectly fine places to play - and while you must take complaints at some consumer review sites with a grain of salt, we have rarely seen such bad approval numbers (80%). It should be noted that sportsbooks and hybrid sports/casinos often have poorer reputations than casino-only sites for various reasons.

Other factors to consider may be game odds and incentives. Licensed operators in Mexico pay a 30% tax on revenues at the federal level. While offshore operators are presumably supposed to pay a VAT for services of 16%, it’s highly unlikely any do unless they are working in cooperation with a locally licensed operator.

It’s possible that offshore operators have a more business-friendly operational structure with no need to feed real-time coin-in and coin-out data to regulators, lower overhead through paying no tax or a lower tax, and no need to supplement a land-based operation. This would presumably create more profit potential for the operator who could then increase the odds for players by raising RTP (theoretical return to player percentages) and offering more lucrative bonuses that allow players to win more and win more often. While that’s hypothetical it just makes sense.

One way to save time in finding a trusted casino is to rely on non-biased and critical reviews of online gaming sites, but the final decision is always up to the player.

Looking at the casinos listed on this page you might notice that they are ranked by the rating players at multiple sites have given them. While we haven’t reviewed every site that accepts players on these pages, the rating system is also fed by players at review sites and forums that have reviewed them. Regardless, if you stick close to the top of the list when choosing a casino you stand every chance of having a very enjoyable experience.

That is not to say that a site with a 3.0 rating might not be the perfect site for you. Player ratings are very subjective. A lower rating might simply mean that a large number of players visited for a free chip, perhaps didn’t win, and possibly thought the wagering requirements were too high. So if you see an offer you like, but the site isn’t ranked extremely high, you might want to read the review to find out more about the site. We’ve done the hard work for you and thousands of other players have weighed in. We hope you find the effort valuable.

Making it a little more complicated for the player who wants to do all of their own research is the fact that there are several gambling sites that have been in operation for a very long time but may not be run by the most savory characters. In a nutshell, there are clip joints and brigands out there, just as there are in any other type of business.

The actual age of an online operation is not a very important consideration except for the fact that an older site will have a reputation with much more depth than less seasoned operations. In some instances, it’s more important to know about the operator than it is to have a lengthy history of customer satisfaction or complaints. Reviews at trusted sites will usually focus on the operator as much as the site itself when it is an extremely good potential choice or a site to avoid.

And then, of the more than 10,000 online casinos, there are quite a few in the middle of the spectrum. These sites might be great for one customer and simply not offer what another player wants. Some will have very liberal rules and others will have tough rules but might offer something else to balance the equation such as instant payouts or lucrative bonuses. If a review site focuses on the good, the bad, and the particulars, there’s a good chance it can be trusted.

In addition to World Casino Directory reviews, we’ve found a few other portals to be excellent sources of information when choosing a casino to play at. We’ll link to them below.

In addition to reading trusted reviews, it’s always important to read and understand the terms and conditions yourself. A good review can save valuable time by pointing out things to look for.

Other valuable tools that Mexican players have at their disposal are industry Blacklists, watch lists, and casino warnings. While good casinos can go bad and bad casinos can turn a corner or turn over a new leaf if a site is currently on one or more blacklists it’s a very good idea to steer clear and choose one that is more highly rated.

We have found the following information and review sites to be trusted to deliver unbiased transparent accurate and timely information.

Trusted Portals

Key to Casinos
LCB.org
Las Apuestas

Getting paid
We’ll combine document verification and banking methods here because one is no good without the other when trying to cash out your winnings. We’ll throw in a bit of bonus caution as well because breaking the terms of a bonus offer is one of the most common ways of turning the excitement of a nice win into disappointment - nobody wants that.

When you register your account or join the casino (same thing) make sure to use the correct information. If your phone number or address changes, make sure to update it before playing again. This is the core element of getting paid.

Make sure you have a government-issued ID or passport and be prepared to collect and provide any utility bills or other documents asked for in order to prove your identity. Online casinos are not allowed to pay if they don’t have KYC (know your customer) documents.

When you navigate to the cashier section, be sure to check to see if the deposit method you plan to use will also work for cash-outs. Often you might see Visa or the like in the deposit section but not on the withdrawal screen. In that case, you will need to choose another method to withdraw your winnings. You are sure to find one, such as bank wire, but not always.

If you have trouble lining up a way to deposit and withdraw you can either check the banking terms for a solution or contact customer service before depositing.

Lastly, you aren’t required to take a bonus in order to play. A straight deposit, a little bit of luck, and a timely withdrawal are the very essence of gambling. A bet laid is a bet paid. However, if you want extended playtimes, more shots at a jackpot, or if the offer simply looks attractive you might want to take a bonus. Please read the terms and conditions to know which games can be played, the most you can bet per hand or spin, how many times you’ll have to “roll it over”, and to find out if the bonus has restrictions such as the most that can be paid out.

Online casino banking in Mexico

Credit cards and debit cards like Visa, Mastercard, AstroPay (virtual), and Maestro are accepted at most casinos as are Skrill, Neteller, and other eWallets. Todito Cash and Oxxo Payments are also popular deposit methods for casinos that are focused on the Mexican market but they won’t be available at all venues.

SafetyPay is integrated with over 90% of the banks in the Latin American region and the alternative payment method allows quick and safe online deposits through banks and cash collection points.

Bitcoin and Altcoins

Bitso might be the most popular or well-known cryptocurrency exchange in Mexico with over 5 million users. In addition to a Bitcoin exchange, Bitso operates a Ripple gateway and most online casinos accept Ripple as well.

In August 2022 the company announced it had made a deal with Mastercard to offer credit card services in Mexico. If it ends up working as smoothly as the Coinbase/PayPal partnership in the United States, it should be a great boon to players who will be able to win at any instant pay casino, cash out their winnings to crypto, and have the funds available to spend instantly.

You can start on Bitso for as little as 100 MXN (about US$5.00) and the site has a variety of guides drilling down to the granular level if needed.

eToro supports the Mexican Peso and coins can be purchased with bank transfer, PayPal, or in other convenient ways. CEX.io, through its CEX Overseas LTD (BVI) subsidiary also handles cryptocurrency for players in Mexico. ,

Look for special bonuses for crypto users at some sites.

How to Play at Online Casino in Mexico

Almost every online operator today serves up a casino lobby right in your secure web browser in a markup language known as HTML5. This means it no longer matters what your operating system is as long as you can browse the web. Full-screen projectors, smart televisions, Macs, and PCs can all be used as well as any mobile device with a browser and a connection to the internet.

Mobile gaming is virtually exploding in Mexico with 76.3% of the population using the internet. According to Internet MX Association, that is 86.8 million people. About 20 years ago only 1 in 20 Mexicans used the internet so it is fast approaching near complete saturation. For you, that means online casino games, through HTML5, are optimized perfectly for your handheld device, no matter what it is.

If you are in a rural area it’s not likely that nearly 8 out of 10 of your neighbors are connected but if you can get a signal you can probably play online. The instant games use super lightweight coding with most of the processing happening on the server side so after quickly loading a slot or other game, data transfer is very lean in order to make it work.

Most urban users will enjoy high-speed data connections good enough to play table and card games or even TV gameshow-style gambling games with live dealers.

Real Money Games for Players in Mexico

Slots are one of the most popular online games, so most sites will offer more slot titles than any other sort of game. About the only exception is live-dealer-only websites but those are rare.

The sidebar menu with dropdowns on all of our review pages will list every game supplier, how many titles are available, and nearly every other bit of information you need in a dry analytical format. The reviews themselves are in-depth and verbose as we attempt to cover every important element in detail for our readers.

Some lobbies, such as those on the RTG platform will have fewer than 300 games, but every type of game is available. Look for cards, dice, blackjack, poker, roulette, craps, and other table games. Also look for 3-reel slots, reactors, progressive accumulator jackpot games, skill-based and pseudo-skill games, video bonus slots with multi-level bonus rounds, and video bingo at some of the larger or more localized gaming venues.

If you like sports betting but a game site you like offers every but a sportsbook, look for virtual sports. You may find everything from tennis, billiards, and darts to bicycle racing, dog racing, football (soccer), horse racing, and motorbike/speedway racing to bet on. The games are 3D and realistic and the betting slips will probably seem familiar to you.

Video bingo is available at most Mexican online casinos that target the market.

Live dealer suites are available at most sites and depending on the stream providers can include Caribbean Stud Poker, Casino Hold 'Em, Craps, Crazy Time, Deal or No Deal Live, Dragon Tiger, Dream Catcher Money Wheel, Football Studio, Free Bet Blackjack, Infinite Blackjack, Lightning Dice, Lightning Roulette, Mega Ball, Monopoly Live, Monopoly Big Baller, Side Bet City, Super Sic Bo with 1,000:1 payouts, Three Card Poker, Top Card, and Ultimate Texas Hold 'Em to name a few.

Licensed Offshore Casinos

Nearly all of the casinos you find on our pages are licensed in their respective jurisdictions. Whenever we review a site that does not display a license we’ll make that fact abundantly clear and we’ll let you know what we know about the operator. Due to gambling laws in the US, Australia, and some other regions, not all operators want to be identified but we can almost always tell you whether they can be trusted or not.

For example, I’ve been playing at a site that is “licensed” in Costa Rica for over 20 years. The fact of the matter is that there are no casino licenses issued by the Costa Rican government, only business licenses to run servers for international trade. I’ve never had a single problem with them paying me on time or honoring a bonus they have offered.

On the other end of the spectrum, operators licensed in some of the most stringent regulatory regimes in the world can end up drawing a lot of consumer complaints, face heavy fines, or even lose their credentials so ultimately the location or visibility of a license is not always important.

That said, many of the sites you will visit from Mexico will be licensed in the Caribbean, and most of those will have a Curacao license. These operators are required, at a minimum, to be well funded, have no criminals in their organizations, maintain anti-money laundering, age verification, and identity policies, and provide at least self-exclusion as a responsible gambling policy.

Customer advocacy is not currently part of the remit, so you will need to do your own due diligence like reading trusted reviews, checking the terms and conditions, and checking industry blacklists once in a while.

For the last decade and a half, online gambling at offshore sites in Mexico has been perfectly legal for residents. While we don’t expect that to change any time soon, it could if the federal government can exert enough power of regional interests to reign everyone into a single tax scheme and then a regulatory framework. We’ve seen that happen in as little as a year or two in some places when the desire for tax revenues hand in hand with a perceived need for consumer protections outweighs and overwhelms interests who prefer to operate in the shadows.

For a timely analysis of all legal aspects of gambling in Mexico please see Thompson Reuters Practical Law - Gambling in Mexico

To keep abreast of breaking news on gambling legislation and other developments please see World Casino News Mexico.