Mexico´s House of Reps Discusses Reforms to Let Cruise Casinos Get to the Country´s Seaports

An initiative to amend Article 15 of Mexico´s Federal Act of Gambling and Lotteries is under discussion at the United Administrative and Tourism Commissions of the House of Representatives.

The proposal will give cruises the green light to dock in national seaports for gambling sessions while they remain anchored next to local piers.

The legislative amendment, introduced on the floor by PRI Rep. Omar Bazan Flores, says the number of cruise passengers has kept a positive trend over the past eight years with an average growth rate of 6.34 percent. That figure could accrue dramatically if gambling were permitted aboard deluxe vessels while they are in Mexico.

The initiative before the United Administrative and Tourism Commissions will allow gambling and lotteries aboard huge transatlantic cruises that call Mexican seaports or sail in territorial waters for leisure reasons.

Advocates of the amendment claim most transatlantic vessels and cruises make leisure offers on continental land for passengers to gamble and play lotteries, a kind of activity that´s banned in Mexico under the current laws and has prevented the Aztec nation´s travel industry from reeling in far more profits.

In the same breath, representatives in favor of the legislative amendment are confident all possible negative effects generated by gambling could be mitigated through the implementation of a tourism development strategy.