Poker in Mexico: SEGOB permits, casino rooms and playing online

Mexico's gambling law is older than almost anyone playing under it, and the way online poker reaches Mexican players — bolted onto permits issued decades ago — is one of the odder arrangements in the Americas.

The legal position

Gambling in Mexico is governed by the Ley Federal de Juegos y Sorteos of 1947, a prohibition statute, administered by the Dirección General de Juegos y Sorteos within SEGOB, the interior ministry. The working framework comes from the 2004 regulation made under that law, amended significantly in November 2023.

There is no standalone online gambling licence. Article 85 of the regulation lets an establishment that already holds a permit take bets by internet, telephone or electronic means, using a control system SEGOB has approved. In practice that means online brands reach Mexican players through commercial arrangements with existing permit holders, most of whose permits run to 2038. New permits have not been issued for years.

The November 2023 reform banned slot machines outright, but federal courts suspended its application for many operators while its constitutionality is litigated, so enforcement is patchy rather than uniform. Poker, as a card game offered inside permitted establishments, has not been the target of that fight.

Nothing in Mexican law makes it an offence for an individual to play. The legal weight sits on operators and permit holders. This is general information, not legal advice.

Tax

The federal IEPS gaming tax rose from 30% to 50% on 1 January 2026 and now explicitly covers offshore operators serving Mexican users. That is a tax on operators, and the usual consequence for players is worse promotions rather than a direct bill — but it is the single biggest change in the Mexican market in years and worth knowing about when a bonus looks thinner than it did.

Live poker

Mexico's casinos spread poker in Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Cancún and Puerto Vallarta, and the domestic circuit is real — the Spring Series of Poker in Mexico City and the Nuevo Vallarta Tour both run regularly, and the Latin American Poker Tour has returned to Mexico City.

The prize pools are modest by international standards, which is why Mexico's best-known results happen elsewhere: Luis Velador's two WSOP bracelets, Juan Carlos Alvarado's Macau high-roller run, Santiago Nadal's €394,526 at EPT Barcelona, Tomas Szwarcberg's $360,000 for 21st in the 2025 WSOP Main Event.

Playing online

GGPoker accepts Mexican players. Check the deposit methods before you commit — peso handling and the local payment rails vary more between rooms than the lobbies suggest.