With the gaming legislation process getting hotter in Mexico and with less than 60 days from the first ever industry expo in Mexico City, the Gaming & Amusement Expo Mexico - GAMMEX 2009 has made two important announcements. These are the incorporation of Valeria Guzman as Marketing Manager and a media partnership with the Argentine magazine Sector.
As an expert in marketing and tourism, Valeria Guzman is Customer Service Manager in Nicaragua’s Tourist Institute (INTUR) and in charge of organizing the institute’s participation in international expos. As a marketing officer of Korean company ACE A&G, Guzman was responsible for customer services during ICE 2007.
Guzman said: “I believe than my experience in marketing and the tourist sector, along with my studies in Europe will be valuable in my new appointment.  I am used to working in a team environment where creativity and sales drive are essential success tools.”
GAMMEX 2009, which will be held at the World Trade Center in Mexico City during 1-2 April, is the first event of its kind in the Mexican capital city. The event promises to bring together the main representative companies in the amusement sector in the country and gaming industry leaders, including Merkur Gaming, Gary Platt, and Boss Gaming among many others. 
Early last month, the Sub-commission of Gaming from the Tourism Commission presented a White Paper to regulate gambling games such as roulette, dice, card games, slot machines and other casino betting games as well as horse and greyhound racing, with the aim of eradicating corruption in the emission of licences and of bringing international standards to betting and lotteries, and gaming rooms in general.
The initiative, sponsored by the sub-commission president Armando García Méndez (PSD), Martha Angélica Romo Jiménez (PAN) and María Soledad López Torres (PRD), has been sent to the Tourism Commission with the purpose of stimulating both federal and local growth in the generation of employment and investment in social and economic programmes, particularly in the communities where entertainment centres are opened.
The politicians want to expedite a new Federal Gaming and Betting Law, one that would bring about national standards in the Mexican gaming industry under a transparent legal framework. This would bring certainty to gamblers and impede irregularities in the sector. The present law dates from 1947 and has been described by legislators as outdated.
The politicians concerned said in a statement: “We know that some permits have been issued by underhand means both in the application of standards and the emission of licences by the authorities, which leads to the gaming industry being in irresponsible hands. These take no account of social issues, give no legal certainty and bring no benefits to the community.”
The initiative proposes that the law establishes order so that regulated licences are subject to the Federal Law on Organized Crime, enabling illicit funds to be traced and dealt with by the relevant authorities. Towards the end of last year, the House of Representatives approved by 354 votes in favour the proposed reforms to the Federal Gaming and Lottery Law.
The bill authorises the state governments and municipalities throughout Mexico to choose whether to allow gaming operations or not in their territories. The legislative amendment has now been sent to the Senate in the next stage of the legal process. Rep Adolfo Mota Hernández confirmed that the amendments are a step forwards and strengthen the federal agreement with permanent communication between the Secretary of State (Segob) and the states and municipalities.
The modification of Article 4 of the Law establishes that gaming and betting operations in the federation must have the consent of the relevant state and local authorities before receiving a licence from Segob. Some states Governors, as in Sonora, have frequently decried the issue of gaming room licences in their jurisdictions.
What the Segob sponsored bill does in effect is to broaden the gaming licensing process, which was abused and centralized under its jurisdiction, Now with the White Paper on the approval of traditional casino games, sponsored by the Tourism sub commission on gaming legislation, the emergence of Las Vegas style gaming is a step closer.   This could bring the local governments revenues, much needed under current economic conditions, sooner than one almost dares to hope.

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