Mexico keeps more than 400 casinos active, AIEJA says

Mexico’s regulated casino market is bigger than the headline number suggests: AIEJA says 423 venues were operating in August 2026, spread across 30 states and run by 38 licensed companies. For PSPs, the more relevant detail is the fiscal backdrop — the trade group says the sector is heading into 2026 under a higher gambling tax burden.

1. AIEJA, the Asociación de Permisionarios, Operadores y Proveedores de la Industria del Entretenimiento y Juego de Apuesta en México, said the regulated industry had 423 establishments in operation in August 2026. The association also says the activity supports around 200,000 direct and indirect jobs.
2. The 423 casinos are distributed across 30 of Mexico’s federal entities and are managed by 38 permit-holding companies. In practice, that means one operator often runs multiple venues, although AIEJA does not break down how many casinos each company controls.
3. The numbers suggest the market has been broadly stable. Uno TV reported that AIEJA said there were 425 operating venues in 2024, which is close enough to the August 2026 figure to point to a market that has not moved much in size over that period.
4. AIEJA’s employment estimate does not separate direct from indirect jobs in the 200,000 total. In 2024, Uno TV said the association had referred to more than 50,000 direct jobs and 120,000 indirect jobs, so the current aggregate figure is not directly comparable on a like-for-like basis.
5. The fiscal issue is the one to watch. According to SiGMA, the Impuesto Especial sobre Producción y Servicios (IEPS) on gambling rose from 30% to 50% under the Paquete Económico 2026, effective from 1 January 2026, covering land-based casinos, sports betting and online platforms. AIEJA president Miguel Ángel Ochoa Sánchez told the outlet that the increase will have a deep impact and reduce revenues for the sector.

For payment providers, the practical takeaway is straightforward: Mexico is still a sizable regulated gambling market, but the tax change adds pressure to operator margins across both physical and online channels.