Colombia

Colombia was the first country in Latin America to regulate online gambling, opening a licensed market in 2016 under Coljuegos and the Gambling Act (Law 643 of 2001). Operators run online casino and sports betting under concession contracts, paying exploitation rights on gross gaming revenue to Coljuegos. The market has become the reference case for igaming regulation across the region.

Regulator

Coljuegos (Coljuegos)

Regulator type

Gaming board

Headline tax

Not yet verified

Licence required

Yes

Minimum age

Not yet verified

Tax base

Online operators pay exploitation rights (derechos de explotacion) to Coljuegos, calculated on gross gaming revenue, plus administrative and monitoring fees. Reported rates have varied between sources; confirm the current exploitation-rights rate with Coljuegos.

Capital

Bogota

Currency

COP

Official languages

Spanish

Licence required

Yes

Application window

Not yet verified

Local establishment required

Not yet verified

Local server required

Not yet verified

Headline GGR tax

Not yet verified

Effective date

Not yet verified

Tax base

Online operators pay exploitation rights (derechos de explotacion) to Coljuegos, calculated on gross gaming revenue, plus administrative and monitoring fees. Reported rates have varied between sources; confirm the current exploitation-rights rate with Coljuegos.

As the LatAm pioneer, Colombia is watched for how it handles enforcement against unlicensed sites, VAT and tax proposals on gambling, and channelisation. Other regional markets such as Brazil and Peru have followed with their own frameworks.

Who regulates online gambling in Colombia?

Coljuegos, under the Gambling Act (Law 643 of 2001), which opened online licensing in 2016.

1. Coljuegos

   Coljuegos (Government of Colombia)

   Tier 1Accessed 4 Aug 2026
2. Colombia Gambling Law - Country Comparative Guide

   Legal 500

   Tier 3Accessed 4 Aug 2026