Lazcano Sámano

Background and Founding

Lazcano Sámano is a Mexico City boutique whose practice is built around one of the most regulated industries in the country: gaming. The firm was founded by Alfredo Lazcano Sámano, a lawyer who has spent his career focused on the Federal Gaming and Raffles Act, the regulations issued under it, and the administrative practice of Mexico’s federal gaming regulator. While the firm operates as a law practice rather than a gaming company, its name is closely associated with the evolution of Mexican iGaming advice over the past two decades. It advises both domestic permit holders and international groups, and its work often begins when a client wants to know whether a particular product is legally classifiable as a game, raffle or lottery under the Mexican framework.

Business Model

The firm earns revenue through legal fees for regulatory advice, permit applications, compliance work, transactional support and litigation. Its core service is guiding operators through the permit system administered by the General Directorate of Games and Raffles within SEGOB, the Ministry of the Interior. Since Mexican gaming permits are issued on a discretionary basis and tied to specific games and locations, the legal analysis around a permit application is a valuable service. The firm also helps existing permit holders defend their licences in administrative procedures and court challenges, and advises on changes to corporate ownership that may affect a permit.

Practice Areas

Gaming remains the heart of the practice. Lazcano Sámano structures applications for casinos, sports betting operations, lotteries, raffles and bingo, and it advises on online gaming platforms where the legal position is less obvious. Because the governing statute dates from 1947 and the 2004 Regulations only partially modernised it, much of the work involves interpreting whether an interactive game falls inside or outside the permit categories. The firm has developed adjacent practices in data privacy, fintech and corporate law, reflecting the needs of gaming clients who also handle customer data, payments and technology partnerships.

Market Position

In Mexico, gaming law is concentrated in a small number of advisers, and Lazcano Sámano is consistently recognised as one of the most prominent specialist names in this niche. Its main point of differentiation is that gaming is not just a department inside a larger law firm; it is the firm’s core identity. That makes it a natural choice for international sportsbooks, casino platforms and suppliers entering Mexico, who need advisers familiar with SEGOB’s interpretation of the law and the practical politics of the sector. The firm competes with full-service Mexican firms that have gaming groups, but retains a sharper focus.

Licensing and Regulatory Footprint

Lazcano Sámano does not hold gaming licences itself; its footprint comes from the permits it helps secure for others. The Mexican regime is federal and permit-based, with SEGOB overseeing games and sorts through the gaming directorate. Permits can be granted for specific premises and products, which can create obstacles for online operators seeking nationwide reach. The firm’s role includes interpreting these restrictions, preparing the administrative evidence required by SEGOB, and representing clients when resolutions are appealed or permits are challenged.

Recent Direction

In recent years the firm has expanded beyond classic casino and betting work into the digital economy around gaming. Payment processing, alternative wagering mechanics, skill games and the growing Latin American sports betting market have all pushed the firm further into fintech and data protection work. Alfredo Lazcano Sámano has been an active speaker at iGaming and gaming law events, which keeps the firm visible to international audiences. The practice remains deliberately boutique, but it has broadened from a pure gaming regulatory shop into a specialist firm for companies operating at the intersection of games, technology and regulated payments in Mexico.