Authorities have seized Joy Casino, located in Ciudad Obregón in the northern Mexican state of Sonora, after officials entered the venue and removed gaming machines, chairs, tables, and other items.
Customers present at the time were evicted from the premises and were not given an explanation for the events.
The casino had already been the subject of an investigation over alleged debts. In June, the operators were facing more than MXN57m in unpaid rent and late-payment interest related to the property. The investigation had also expanded to include labor complaints and questions over the venue's financial and operational situation.
The operators also faced allegations involving employees and labor-related obligations. Neither report identified the leasing company involved.
Joy Casino's operators had not issued a public statement on the matter as of publication.
Earlier this month, Mexico's tax authority announced plans to auction a majority stake in the company holding the operating permit for 65 casinos and the Hipódromo de las Américas.
The shares had been seized from Codere over unpaid federal tax debts. The auction includes a 50.8% controlling stake valued at MXN625m, alongside smaller share lots.
In addition, Mexico City lawmaker Alberto Martínez Urincho of the ruling Morena party recently presented proposed reforms to the Federal Law on Games and Raffles.
The initiative seeks to recognize gambling addiction as a public health issue, introduce mandatory risk and health warnings for gambling providers and strengthen identity verification systems to prevent minors from accessing gambling services.
The proposal would also restrict misleading advertising and prohibit prediction-based bets linked to political events, armed conflicts, natural disasters, humanitarian crises and other events considered to undermine human dignity.
As the changes concern federal legislation, the proposal must first pass through Mexico City's legislative committees and plenary session before being submitted to Mexico's Federal Congress.
Joy Casino Obregón operates under federal permit and appeared on the Secretariat of the Interior's June 2026 list of authorized gaming establishments
