Coljuegos

Colombia is one of the biggest gambling markets in South America. As a result, the country presents a massive opportunity for online casino operators. Through the years, it has undergone a number of transitions in its gambling regulations.

In 1991, the Colombia Gambling Authority, Coljuegos, was established. A decentralized company subject to the authority of Colombia’s Ministry of Finance and Public Credit, it started licensing online casinos and online gambling generally in 2016.

This made Colombia join the few countries in South America to fully sanction regulated land-based and online casinos. Before the eGaming Act was introduced in Colombia, it only adequately regulated land-based casinos.

The main focus was on providing players with reliable brick-and-mortar casinos and upholding the state monopoly. This all changed when the first local online casino, Wplay.co, was licensed. It shifted the focus to creating a legal framework that duly protected players and made sure that all licenses were adhering to their set obligations.