According to data from the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) of Colombia, online gambling was one of the major economic activities contributing to the GDP growth of the country in the second quarter of 2024.
Piedad Urdinola, the director of DANE, stated: "The main drivers of growth were arts and entertainment activities, including online gambling, which are linked to the sports events we have hosted in recent months, thereby boosting the growth of internet gambling."
Marco Emilio Hincapié Hincapié, the chairman of the Colombian Gaming Control Board (Coljuegos), said: "This year, the monopoly revenue from online gaming has grown by about 20%. This means that so far, online gambling has transferred approximately $231.3 million to the health of Colombians."
Currently, online gambling accounts for 47% of the total national revenue, while localized games (such as bingo and casinos) account for 33%. They are followed by SuperAstro and Baloto, which account for 13% and 7% respectively.
The chairman of the agency stated: "The significant contribution of the gaming industry to the economy is largely due to our progress in regulation, controlling illegal activities, and the positive growth of internet gambling during the Copa America and Euro Cup events." Colombia reached the finals in this year's Copa America but ultimately lost to Argentina.
He added: "We are pleased to see the gaming industry making a positive contribution to the economy and national health. If we include all gaming concepts and types, so far we have collected over $581 million. We hope to exceed our forecasts by the end of the year, reaching over $1 billion in revenue."
