The Mexican government temporarily closed 13 casinos on Wednesday, 12 November, after an investigation found suspicious financial activity linked to money laundering. Officials said the closures are part of a larger investigation into irregular operations at land-based and online casinos.

Officials explained that the investigation was carried out with support from the US Department of the Treasury and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. The inquiry identified suspicious transactions in several states, including Baja California, Chiapas, Jalisco, Mexico City, Nuevo León, Sinaloa, Sonora, and the State of Mexico.l

Irregular Financial Activity Found

Mexico’s Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch said the probe began months ago. Investigators discovered that some casino operators had acquired personal and banking information of young adults, retirees, and homemakers, often through deception or identity theft. The operations involved prepaid cards and digital codes, allowing funds of unclear origin to be used for online or in-person gambling.

Officials reported that some individuals placed bets without knowing their identities were being used to move illicit funds. The review also revealed records of fabricated winnings, with large payouts shown in systems but never delivered to the players. Investigators said the money was then sent abroad and laundered through financial channels in Malta, Panama, Romania, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, and the US before returning to Mexico disguised as legal revenue.

Bank Accounts Frozen as Part of Investigation

Authorities froze the bank accounts linked to the casinos while analyzing transactions that showed large cash movements and methods to avoid tax reporting. Grisel Galeano, Mexico’s Attorney General for Tax Matters, said investigators identified patterns of cash holdings, cross-border transfers, and attempts to hide the origin of money. She added that these findings required coordinated action between security agencies, financial regulators, and the tax authority under federal anti-money laundering rules.

The government has not released the names of all affected casinos. President Claudia Sheinbaum said the identities of owners are confidential due to the ongoing investigations. On Tuesday, Grupo Salinas confirmed that two of its casinos, Ganadora Azteca and Operadora Ganadora Tv Azteca, were among those suspended.

Government Defends Actions

Some questioned whether the enforcement actions had political motives due to prior disputes between Grupo Salinas owner Ricardo Salinas Pliego and federal authorities. President Sheinbaum rejected the claim, saying the measures were based on documented evidence and legal procedures, not on company identities.

Grupo Salinas said it plans to challenge the closures at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, claiming the government’s actions are improper. President Sheinbaum also addressed recent labor inspections at a television network owned by Salinas Pliego, noting these are standard checks applied across all industries and unrelated to the casino investigation.