Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, Jalisco, entered October 1, 2026, with an active crackdown on unauthorized slot machines; the municipality confirmed that 320 machines have been seized since the start of the current administration, of which 178 have already been destroyed, while the remaining devices are being held for subsequent disposal. The official balance was published on September 29 by the municipal government.
- Mexico and Bolivia crack down on illegal slots; 145 machines seized
The operations were carried out by the Inspection and Surveillance Directorate across different neighborhoods, with support from the Municipal Police, Jalisco State Police, National Guard and Mexican Army, under the supervision of Tlajomulco’s General Coordination for Prevention and Emergency Services. The municipal administration is headed by Mayor Gerardo Quirino Velázquez Chávez, who presented his Second Government Report on September 8.
- Mexico and Bolivia combat illegal gambling; slot machine destruction and poker seizures
- Mexico destroys 592 illegal slot machines and exposes regulatory failures in gambling control
Of the 320 machines seized, the 178 already destroyed represent around 55.6% of the total; approximately 142 remain pending disposal. The final handling of electronic components is carried out with the participation of the Environmental Management Directorate. Authorities also recovered more than MX$49,000 (approximately US$2,700) from inside the machines and transferred those funds to the Tlajomulco DIF System for social assistance programs.
The municipality says the devices violate Tlajomulco’s Regulation on Commercial, Industrial and Service Activities, in line with Mexico’s Federal Gaming and Raffles Law, which requires authorization for the lawful operation of gambling activities. The municipal crackdown is part of a wider enforcement effort across Jalisco. State Security Secretary Juan Pablo Hernández González reported that 606 slot machines were removed in 12 municipalities between January and August 2026, through coordinated actions involving municipal, state and federal authorities.
Juan Pablo Hernández González
At the federal level, oversight falls to the General Directorate of Gaming and Raffles under the Ministry of the Interior, headed in 2026 by Jorge Roberto Ordóñez Escobar. Tlajomulco has framed the seizures as part of its strategy to protect household finances and prevent gambling addiction among children and young people.
