Colombia Coljuegos Coljuegos
It is Colombia's agency that manages the state gambling monopoly. In 2017 it issued Latin America's first online casino and betting licenses, and it later became a model for regulation across the region.
| English | Coljuegos |
|---|---|
| Classification | Licenses & Regulation |
| Organization | Coljuegos |
| 설립 근거 | Presidential Decree 4142/2011 |
| 기본 법 | Law 643/2001 |
| Location | Bogotá, Colombia |
| 온라인 합법화 | 2016 |
| 첫 온라인 라이선스 | 2017 (Wplay) |
| 계약 기간 | 3-5 years (renewable) |
| Taxes | 15% of revenue + fixed annual fee (811 months of minimum wage) |
| VAT | 19% on online betting (temporary in 2025, Decree 0175/2025) |
| Minimum age | 18 |
Overview
Coljuegos is the national agency that manages the gambling business monopolized by the Colombian government. It was created by Presidential Decree 4142/2011 and is based in the capital, Bogotá. Because gambling in Colombia is a “state fiscal monopoly” business, private companies must sign a contract with Coljuegos to operate.
Colombia legalized online gambling in 2016 and issued Latin America’s first online casino and betting license in 2017. The first license went to the Colombian company Wplay. Dozens of operators have entered since, making it one of the most mature regulated online markets in Latin America.
History
License (contract) structure
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | A single B2C contract covers all permitted products, including online casino and betting |
| Term | 3 to 5 years, renewable |
| B2B | No separate supplier license, but technical requirements must be met |
| Local requirements | Colombian legal entity, address, local bank account, and anti-money laundering officer |
| Capital requirements | Minimum equity of about 387,000 euros and a player funds guarantee of about 133,000 euros |
Taxes
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Variable tax | 15% of revenue (player losses) |
| Fixed annual fee | 811 months of the legal minimum wage (about 250,000 euros) |
| Administration fee | 1% of the sum of fixed and variable taxes |
| VAT | Temporary 19% tax on online betting in 2025 (economic emergency measure) |
| Corporate tax | 35% |
In 2025 the government imposed a 19% tax on online betting deposits as an economic emergency measure. The industry pushed back strongly, and the controversy continued after the Constitutional Court issued a decision suspending it.
Player protection and advertising
Operators must run responsible gambling programs including self-exclusion tools, verify that players are 18 or older, and submit an annual responsible gambling report. Advertising spending cannot exceed a set share (20% of revenue), and advertising aimed at minors is banned.
Influence on Latin America
The Colombian model became an important reference for Mexico, Argentina’s provinces, Peru, and Brazil, which opened a major market in 2025, as they built their own systems. Global slot providers such as Pragmatic Play sometimes use Colombia as the first step into Latin America and release Spanish-localized games.
Location
Coljuegos is based in Bogotá, Colombia's capital.