Jalisco set to introduce harsher sanctions for underage gambling activities

In a move to curb youth exposure to gambling, the administration of Jalisco, Mexico, is advancing a legislative package that would significantly raise the penalties for adults who involve minors in games of chance, particularly those played on slot machines and similar electronic devices. Governor Pablo Lemus confirmed that the bill will be presented to the state's Congress in the coming days, targeting amendments to Article 142-A of the Jalisco Penal Code.

The reforms aim to close existing legal gaps by formally defining what constitutes a "game of chance" under state law—a step intended to give authorities clearer grounds for enforcement and to improve legal protections for children and adolescents. Alongside the criminal penalties, the state government plans to roll out public-awareness initiatives directed at families, schools, and commercial venues. Lemus has urged lawmakers to prioritize the proposal.

Federal ruling paves way for slots

The Jalisco push follows a landmark federal court decision in April that authorized the operation of slot machines in licensed casinos, overriding earlier restrictions imposed by Mexico's federal regulator, the Secretaría de Gobernación (Segob). That ruling granted Compañía Operadora Clíe permission to install slot machines and offer card games, dice, and roulette at 20 venues originally licensed under the previous administration.

Previously, Segob had confined the operator to table betting only—a limitation that, according to the company, effectively prevented those casinos from ever opening their doors. The interplay between the new federal precedent and Jalisco's stiffer state-level safeguards is likely to draw close scrutiny from industry stakeholders.