State and municipal authorities raided and closed an unlicensed gambling venue operating in downtown Nava, Coahuila, detaining a woman identified as the person in charge and seizing multiple slot machines found on site.
The operation targeted a premises located at the corner of Rosales and Ignacio Allende streets. Officials confirmed the establishment had no visible trade name, no registered business entity and lacked the municipal permits and federal authorizations required to operate gaming activities.
Inspectors documented the irregularities before ordering an immediate closure, placing the property under official custody while investigations continue.
Authorities said the clandestine casino had been operating despite complaints from local residents. Inside, officers found several electronic gaming machines typically used for betting, which were secured as part of the administrative and criminal proceedings.
The detained woman was transferred to the relevant authorities to determine her legal situation.
The case is particularly notable given Coahuila’s longstanding prohibition on casino establishments. In 2012, a constitutional reform amended Article 158-U of the state constitution, barring municipalities from granting land-use or construction permits for casinos and betting centers.
By 2014, the last venues operating under legal injunctions were shut down, and the state declared itself a casino-free territory, maintaining a zero-tolerance stance toward gambling establishments.
Although gambling activities are regulated at the federal level in Mexico, Coahuila has relied on municipal planning authority to prevent the installation of physical gaming venues within its territory.
In a separate enforcement action in western Mexico, the Mexican Navy, in coordination with federal prosecutors, seized 39 illegal slot machines during operations in the state of Nayarit. Authorities reported that the devices were operating without the required permits in commercial establishments and were confiscated as part of broader efforts to combat illicit gambling and associated criminal activity.
The raid underscores Coahuila’s 2012 constitutional reform prohibiting municipalities from authorizing casinos, effectively blocking physical gambling establishments in the state
