Mexican government opens money-laundering investigation into Ricardo Salinas Pliego as betting apps linked to his empire come under fire

Mexico City — Mexican authorities have formally escalated their scrutiny of billionaire Ricardo Salinas Pliego, placing betting applications linked to his business network at the center of an active money-laundering investigation—a development that further entrenches Salinas as one of the most controversial figures in the country’s financial and regulatory landscape.

According to reporting by Proceso, federal investigators identified a cluster of online betting platforms and casino operations associated with Salinas-linked entities as presenting serious red flags consistent with illicit financial activity. These include unexplained cash movements, opaque corporate structures, and irregular transaction patterns commonly associated with laundering schemes in the gambling sector.

Despite the gravity of these findings, a federal court recently ordered the reactivation of the betting applications, triggering widespread concern among regulators, transparency advocates, and financial-crime specialists. The decision has not halted the investigation. Instead, it has exposed a familiar and troubling dynamic: enforcement efforts colliding with legal maneuvers that allow high-risk financial operations to continue while authorities are still tracing the flow of money.

No Clearance, No Exoneration

Officials involved in the case have been unequivocal: the court order does not clear Salinas Pliego or the companies under investigation. The underlying probes remain active, with financial intelligence units continuing to analyze transaction data, licensing structures, and potential cross-border flows connected to the betting platforms.

The gambling industry is widely recognized as a high-risk environment for money laundering, particularly when combined with digital wallets, layered corporate ownership, and limited transparency. Investigators are reportedly examining whether these platforms were used to recycle funds, obscure origins of capital, or bypass anti-money-laundering safeguards mandated under Mexican law.

A Pattern, Not an Anomaly

For observers who have followed Salinas Pliego’s long history of conflict with regulators, the betting-app investigation is not an isolated incident—it is part of a broader pattern. Over the past several years, Salinas and entities tied to his empire have repeatedly clashed with tax authorities, financial regulators, and courts, often responding with aggressive litigation strategies that delay enforcement and shift the battleground from regulators’ offices to the judiciary.

Critics argue that this pattern reflects a deeper structural problem: the ability of ultra-wealthy individuals to weaponize legal systems to stall accountability while contested business operations continue generating revenue.

Judiciary vs. Enforcement

The decision to restore the betting apps while the investigation remains open has intensified debate within Mexico over the balance of power between courts and enforcement agencies. Transparency groups warn that allowing operations tied to suspected laundering activity to resume sends a dangerous signal—one that risks normalizing impunity in sectors already vulnerable to criminal abuse.

At stake is more than a handful of gambling applications. The case has become a stress test for Mexico’s commitment to enforcing anti-money-laundering laws without regard to political influence, media power, or personal wealth.

Investigation Continues

Mexican authorities have indicated that the investigation is ongoing and that additional measures—including sanctions, asset freezes, or criminal proceedings—remain possible depending on the outcome of financial analyses now underway.

As scrutiny deepens, Ricardo Salinas Pliego’s gambling operations have shifted from being a profitable digital sideline to a public symbol of systemic risk, regulatory failure, and unresolved questions about the integrity of Mexico’s financial controls.

What remains clear is this: the reactivation of the apps has not closed the case. It has only sharpened the spotlight.