On Thursday, a federal prosecutor said that an owner of a casino in northern Mexico where 52 people died in an arson attack received extortion threats. Bookmakers see this situation as being very problematic, and wonder what will ultimately happen.

Salinas of the Mexico Attorney General’s Office told the Televisa network that Raul Rocha Cantu, owner of Casino Royale, received demands of $50,000, then $140,000.

Salinas said that “it wouldn’t be appropriate” to say how the threats have been made or by whom.

Bookmakers learned that Rocha, who said that he fled to the US as he feared his safety after the attack on August 25, gave his statement to the Mexican consulate located in Miami. He and co-owner Jorge Rocha Cantu have been ordered by Mexican authorities to appear.

Raul Rocha told authorities that he arrived at the casino in Monterrey as smoke was pouring from the doors and windows.

“He started getting calls from acquaintances asking how he was doing,” Salinas said. “He decided to leave the country for his protection.”

Bookmakers have been shocked when they learned that gunmen entered the Casino Royale, spread gasoline, and decided to set the building on fire, trapping and asphyxiating dozens of employees and gamblers. That afternoon, most of the victims were women playing slots or bingo or having lunch.

Five alleged members of the Zetas drug cartel and a state police officer have been arrested in the case, and bookmakers, as well as sports bookmaker services, hope that justice is properly served.

Mexican authorities identified another 18 suspects and offer $1.3 million dollars for information that lead to the arrest of each.

Officials have also launched a corruption investigation after leaked videos that showed the brother of Fernando Larrazabal, the mayor of Monterrey, taking wads of cash inside the nearby Casino Red days before the attack on the Casino Royale took place.

This week, Mexico’s ruling party asked Larrazabal and Nuevo Leon state Gov. Rodrigo Medina to temporarily step down while police are investigating the arson. So far, neither of them has, and Larrazabal is conducting polls to find out what his constituents would like him to do.

Bookmakers and sports bookmaker services are very sad over what happened, and hope that something like this never happens again.