Localized games in Colombia increased their transfers by 1.5 percent compared to the period from January to November 2023.
Colombia.- Localized games, which include casinos, bingos, and electronic slot machines, have consolidated as one of the pillars of the gambling industry in Colombia. In 2024 alone, this industry segment transferred around COP348.736m (USD80.1m) to the subsidized health system, according to Coljuegos.
It is estimated that, between January and November 2024, localized games have shown a 1.5 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023. This was largely due to the increase in the number of slot machines and authorized bingo and casino tables by Coljuegos.
Marco Emilio Hincapié, president of the Colombian gambling regulatory body, stated: "The growth of localized games demonstrates the importance of this segment for the economy and the health of Colombians. The resources generated not only benefit the health system but also reflect the consolidation of a regulated and reliable sector. We will continue working to ensure that these resources transparently reach their destination."
Localized games represent 36 percent of the total generated by the gambling industry in 2024, with significant contributions from cities like Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Barranquilla, and Bucaramanga, which lead in the number of operational establishments. These cities concentrate most of the offer, due to their high population density and the development of formal markets.
Additionally, between January and November, more than 3,546 authorized localized game establishments have been registered, including more than 111,184 electronic slot machines and 17,345 bingo seats. This not only generates direct income to the health system but also boosts the economy by formally employing thousands of people in the country.
"The increase in transfers is also due to our institutional modernization process and the implementation of the pre-filing system, through which we have managed to reduce response times for localized game procedures by 38 percent. The more efficient we are, the more gaming elements we can authorize," Hincapié maintained.
Coljuegos considered it important to mention that, in total, the gambling sector has transferred more than COP1 trillion to the health system in 2024. Moreover, they reiterated that the increase in transfers is also due to the control operations carried out by Coljuegos, through which about 12,697 illegal gaming elements have been removed and destroyed.
"With these results, Coljuegos reaffirms its commitment to the regulation, supervision, and promotion of localized games as a key sector for the economic and social development of the country. The entity will continue working hand in hand with operators and local authorities to ensure a safe, responsible, and transparent gaming environment," they assured in their last statement of 2024.
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The president of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, signed Decree 1486 on December 13, 2024, from the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit, which regulates the operation of gambling in the form of raffles.
According to national authorities, the new decree seeks to create optimal legal conditions for the operation of raffles in the country, with the aim of increasing transfers to health by about COP70.000m (USD15.9m) annually from this type of games.
The decree establishes that raffles can be operated through third-party managers and via technological platforms. Additionally, results obtained through Random Number Generators (RNG) that ensure the transparency of the game can be used. This will allow this type of game to be invigorated and adapted to current technological trends.
Moreover, the decree allows for up to two monthly raffles (24 annually) for natural or legal persons (called managers) interested in marketing this type of games.
In this sense, the new regulation limits the number of raffles that can be held during the month, as well as the prohibition of cash prizes.
Managers must request the respective authorization from Coljuegos and pay the corresponding exploitation rights (14 percent of gross income, which equals 100 percent of the value of the tickets issued).
