Jalisco governor proposes law to criminalise minors’ gambling as organized‑crime recruitment of adolescents spikes

Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro announced a proposal to amend Article 142‑A of the Jalisco Penal Code, making it a crime to facilitate, induce or promote the participation of children and adolescents in slot‑machine gambling. The reform would define “gambling”, increase penalties for offenders and launch prevention campaigns aimed at families, schools and businesses.

At the same time, state authorities warned that organized‑crime groups are intensifying the recruitment of youths aged 13‑16, using false job offers, social‑media lures and direct contact in public spaces such as plazas, restaurants and bus terminals. Recent data from the state’s Missing Persons Commission show 165 new disappearance records in a month, 43 of which involve minors. Families report cases where teenagers were approached by peers or acquaintances and coaxed into vehicles that later fled. The proposed legislation is presented as part of broader efforts to protect children from both gambling‑related harms and criminal recruitment.