Rosa Icela Rodríguez warns of prison for officials taking casino bribes

Mexico's Secretary of the Interior, Rosa Icela Rodríguez, has warned that government officials who accept bribes from casino owners will face imprisonment and that involved establishments will be shut down. During a meeting with industry permit holders, Rodríguez urged business owners not to attempt to corrupt Ministry staff, stating she does not use brokers or intermediaries and requests that all matters be handled directly through her office.

The Ministry is currently working to regularize administrative issues and injunctions for casinos while conducting an internal review of betting and entertainment centers in coordination with various federal agencies. Rodríguez announced that a proposal to update the current legislation, which dates back to 1947, has been developed and will be presented to the Security Cabinet.

Rodríguez noted that some casinos have already faced sanctions or closures due to investigations into alleged money laundering and tax fraud, conducted alongside the Attorney General's Office and the Ministry of Finance. At least 13 establishments are reportedly involved in publicly known files, with others still under review.