The Gaming Sub-Committee with Games and Draws of the House of Representatives refines the legal opinion about the law on the matter, which will not include table games, informed the coordinator of the legislative instance, Armando García Méndez. The Social Democrat legislator anticipated that the Sub-Committee will do anything possible to have the report ready the following week, to present it to the tribune to be debated.

According to official statistics, from September 2007 up to last August, the General Direction of Games and Draws, dependent on the Mexican Department of the Interior (Segob) authorized 994 licenses to make draws. Besides, it issued 1,395 horce racing licenses and 3,184 for cock fights, as well as five series and 15 self-financing processes. In the first report of this area, corresponding to the first semestre of the current government, 645 licenses have been granted for draws and 3,642 for games...

General Direction of Games and Draws of the Department of Interior (Segob) is under the investigation of the Superior Auditing Company of the Federation (ASF) and the Secretary of the Public Function (SFP). ASF revises 7/2007 and 8/2007 “with regards to the authorization and granting of modification of licenses to big licensees”, as well as the process of “authorization and issuance of draw licenses”, whose results will be ready this month.

Senators from political parties Revolucionario Institucional (PRI), Acción Nacional (PAN) and Revolución Democrática (PRD) demanded the presence of Roberto Correa Méndez, deputy general director of Games and Draws of SEGOB, to communicate the causes of the increment of licenses for activities of that kind. Senator Felipe González assured that at least 50% of the games and draws held in the country are irregular, because he said his organizers have appeals for protection to work, altough they do not have operating licenses.

In order to control the installation of casinos, a proposal will be presented in the Union Congress to take Segob its faculties to issue gambling licenses. Federal representative from PRI political party, Juan Francisco Rivera Bedoya and President of the Security Commission, mentioned that, after the facts registered last Friday, when a casino businessmen saved his life from being executed, it is necessary that local authorities are stricter in order not to allow the installation of this kind of business.