Casinos in Cancun and the Mexican Caribbean

If you are looking to do some Vegas-style casino gambling on your Caribbean vacation, you may want to place your bet elsewhere.

Casinos are banned in Cancun, and have been for about 75 years -- still, there are some locations that have found a way around the law.  While casinos have been popping up more and more over the last several years, the only form of gambling that is technically legal in Cancun is sports betting.

Brief History of Gambling in Mexico

Gambling has been a part of Mexican culture since the time of the Aztecs, despite the legal indecision over the matter in the last century.  French-style casinos could be found throughout the country during the 19th century, though these facilities fell out of favor after the Mexican Revolution. 

In the 1920s, casinos began to gain popularity once more as U.S. citizens began entering the country looking for places to gamble legally.   The casino boom ended once more in 1947 when the government passed a law making gambling illegal.  As it stands, that law is still on the books.  Various states in Mexico have been challenging the ban for years by opening casinos, but these facilities are quickly shut down by the government. Still, there is speculation that casinos will be legalized in order for the country to profit from the millions of dollars the casino industry is projected to acquire.

Casinos in Cancun

If it is illegal to gamble in Mexico, why then, can Cancun's visitors find several casinos to gamble in?  The fact that gambling is illegal in Cancun can be confusing for vacationers who are researching resort stays. Many resorts claim to have casino nights as one of their exciting entertainment offerings. This is true, these resorts do have casino nights, but participants do not win cash. Instead, earnings come in the form of gifts from the resort, such as vouchers for the gift shop, room service, or another nights stay.

Other locations, however, have set up legitimate gambling facilities.  This has been made possible by the new regulations that allow some computerized and number-based games.  As the government has grown more relaxed about gambling regulations, more and more gambling licenses have been issued, thus allowing several casinos to open in Cancun.  Though table gambling remains illegal in Mexico, slot machines, gaming machines, and even some poker tables can be found at these casinos. 

Take caution when planning your trip to Cancun, and avoid planning your days around the casinos.  Because gambling is still technically illegal, the regulations regarding licensing could change at any time.  With so many other options of activities to participate in, it's easy to forget you may not be spending time playing the slots. Days can be filled with tours, shopping, and snorkeling, while checking out the local bars and night clubs are always a fun way to spend an evening. If you find that you can not get past the urge to gamble during your Cancun vacation, consider placing a bet on local sporting events, as sports gambling is legal in Mexico.

Will you find a true casino during your Cancun vacation? Probably not. Does this mean you won't have a good time? Absolutely not. Cancun is filled with such beauty, such lively people, and so many attractions to see that you probably won't even notice that the big time casinos are missing.