Mexico City—Twenty casino permits granted in the final year of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s administration have ignited a firestorm of accusations, denials, and political maneuvering. At the center of the storm: Hernán Bermúdez Requena, a businessman with deep ties to the ruling Morena party, and a regulatory system that critics say has been bent to favor insiders. The controversy, first reported by Reforma, has exposed the fragile balance between economic development and corruption in Mexico’s gambling sector—a tension that could reshape the country’s political landscape ahead of the 2024 elections.
Here’s what you need to know—and what the headlines aren’t telling you.
The Permits That Shouldn’t Have Been Granted
The 20 casino licenses, issued between March 2023 and February 2024, were not just routine approvals. They were fast-tracked through the Secretariat of the Interior (Segob), the federal agency responsible for regulating gambling, under circumstances that raise serious questions about due process. According to internal documents obtained by Mexicanos Contra la Corrupción y la Impunidad (MCCI), a watchdog group, the permits were approved without the usual public tenders or competitive bidding—despite a 2018 federal law requiring transparency in gambling concessions.
Segob has defended the process, arguing that the permits were issued in compliance with court orders. In a statement to El Norte, the agency claimed that judges had mandated the approvals after Bermúdez’s companies filed lawsuits challenging previous denials. But legal experts say this explanation doesn’t hold water. “Court orders don’t override the law,” said Dr. Ana Laura Magaloni, a constitutional law professor at CIDE, a leading Mexican research university. “If a judge orders a permit to be granted, the government still has an obligation to ensure the applicant meets all legal requirements. The fact that these permits were issued without proper vetting suggests either regulatory capture or outright corruption.”
“This isn’t just about casinos—it’s about the erosion of institutional checks and balances. When a single businessman can secure 20 permits in a year, it sends a message that the rules don’t apply to everyone equally.”
—Dr. Ana Laura Magaloni, CIDE
The Bermúdez Empire: A Web of Influence
Hernán Bermúdez Requena is no stranger to controversy. A former federal deputy with the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), he later switched allegiances to Morena, the party founded by López Obrador. His business empire spans real estate, construction, and now, gambling—sectors that have long been fertile ground for corruption in Mexico. What makes the casino permits particularly explosive is their timing: they were approved just months before the 2024 presidential election, raising suspicions that they were part of a broader strategy to reward political allies.
Bermúdez’s connections run deep. His sister, Luisa María Alcalde, served as López Obrador’s labor secretary until November 2023, when she resigned to run for the Senate. While Alcalde has denied any involvement in the casino permits, critics point to her proximity to the president and her influence within Morena as evidence of a conflict of interest. “This isn’t just about one family,” said Jorge Zepeda Patterson, a journalist and author of The Lords of Narco. “It’s about a system where political power and business interests are increasingly indistinguishable.”
Zepeda Patterson’s assessment is backed by data. A 2023 report by Transparency International ranked Mexico 126th out of 180 countries in its Corruption Perceptions Index, with the gambling sector identified as one of the most vulnerable to graft. The report noted that “opaque regulatory processes and weak oversight” have allowed politically connected businessmen to dominate the industry, often at the expense of smaller operators and public trust.
The Regulatory Black Box
The casino permits were not just controversial for their beneficiaries—they similarly highlighted the dysfunction of Mexico’s gambling regulatory framework. Unlike in the U.S. Or Europe, where gambling licenses are subject to rigorous background checks and public scrutiny, Mexico’s system is notoriously opaque. The General Directorate of Games and Raffles (DGJS), the agency under Segob responsible for issuing permits, has long been criticized for its lack of transparency. In 2022, a federal audit found that the DGJS had failed to properly document 40% of its permit approvals, raising concerns about potential favoritism.
The 20 casino permits granted to Bermúdez’s companies were no exception. According to MCCI’s investigation, the applications were processed in record time—some in as little as 30 days—despite red flags in Bermúdez’s business history. In 2019, one of his companies was fined by the National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV) for irregularities in its financial reporting. Yet none of these issues appeared to have been considered in the permit approvals.
Segob has pushed back against these allegations, arguing that the permits were issued in accordance with the law. In a press conference earlier this month, Rosa Icela Rodríguez, the current secretary of the interior, stated that the agency had “no evidence” of wrongdoing. But her denial did little to quell the controversy. “The fact that Segob can’t—or won’t—explain how these permits were approved speaks volumes,” said Edna Jaime, director of México Evalúa, a public policy think tank. “If the process was clean, why not open the books?”
The Political Fallout: Who Stands to Lose?
The casino scandal couldn’t have come at a worse time for Morena. With the 2024 presidential election just months away, the party is facing mounting criticism over its handling of corruption and economic inequality. The casino permits have turn into a rallying cry for opposition parties, who are framing the controversy as evidence of Morena’s hypocrisy. “López Obrador campaigned on ending corruption, but his administration has presided over one of the most opaque regulatory regimes in recent memory,” said Marko Cortés, leader of the opposition National Action Party (PAN).
The scandal has also put pressure on Claudia Sheinbaum, Morena’s presidential candidate and López Obrador’s handpicked successor. Sheinbaum, who has positioned herself as a reformer, has been forced to walk a tightrope—condemning corruption in general terms while avoiding direct criticism of the president or his allies. “This is a test for Sheinbaum,” said Denise Dresser, a political analyst and professor at ITAM. “If she doesn’t address the casino permits head-on, she risks alienating voters who are tired of empty promises. But if she does, she could fracture her own party.”
The stakes are high. A recent poll by Parametría found that 62% of Mexicans believe corruption has worsened under López Obrador, despite his anti-corruption rhetoric. The casino scandal is likely to reinforce that perception—and could cost Morena dearly at the ballot box.
The Bigger Picture: Gambling, Crime, and the Mexican Economy
The controversy over the casino permits is about more than just politics. It’s also a story about the intersection of gambling, organized crime, and economic development in Mexico. The country’s gambling industry has grown rapidly in recent years, fueled by a surge in online betting and the expansion of physical casinos. But that growth has come with a dark side: a rise in money laundering, human trafficking, and other illicit activities.
According to a 2023 report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Mexico’s gambling sector is a “high-risk” industry for money laundering, with criminal organizations using casinos to launder proceeds from drug trafficking and other illegal activities. The report noted that “weak regulatory oversight and corruption” have made it easier for criminal groups to infiltrate the industry, particularly in states like Nuevo León, Jalisco, and Quintana Roo, where many of Bermúdez’s casinos are located.
The casino permits granted to Bermúdez’s companies have only heightened these concerns. While there is no evidence linking Bermúdez to organized crime, the lack of transparency in the permit approvals has fueled speculation that the industry is being used as a vehicle for illicit activities. “This isn’t just about corruption—it’s about national security,” said Eduardo Guerrero, a security analyst and former advisor to the Mexican government. “When you have a regulatory system that’s this broken, it’s not just the economy that suffers. It’s the rule of law.”
What Happens Next?
The casino scandal is far from over. Opposition lawmakers have called for an investigation into the permit approvals, and the Federal Auditor’s Office (ASF) has announced that it will review the process. Meanwhile, civil society groups are pushing for reforms to Mexico’s gambling laws, including greater transparency in permit approvals and stricter oversight of the industry.
For now, the controversy serves as a stark reminder of the challenges facing Mexico as it grapples with corruption, inequality, and the legacy of López Obrador’s administration. The casino permits may seem like a small issue in the grand scheme of things, but they are symptomatic of a larger problem: a regulatory system that is increasingly beholden to political and business elites.
As the 2024 election approaches, the question is whether Mexico’s voters will demand change—or whether they will accept the status quo. One thing is clear: the casino scandal is not just about gambling. It’s about the future of democracy in Mexico.
So, what do you think? Is this a case of regulatory failure, political corruption, or both? And more importantly, what should be done about it? Drop your thoughts in the comments—we’re listening.
