Coljuegos requires operators that want to advertise and serve people in Colombia to obtain authorization. It also encourages players to choose regulated platforms, with the stated aim of protecting their finances and personal information online. More than 3.8 million new players have registered with casinos licensed under Colombia’s framework.
Brands identified as operating legally in Colombia include BWIN, William Hill, and, more recently, Betfair. Betfair received a 5-year license in Feb 2021, becoming the 17th brand to receive a certificate from the Coljuegos licensing authority.
Which Markets Does the Coljuegos Licensing Authority Regulate?
Some regulators issue separate licences for different online gambling sectors and related businesses. Coljuegos, by contrast, covers video slots, table games, live dealer games, online poker, sports betting, and fantasy sports under a single licence. The authority does distinguish between two licence areas.
- Operators: This category includes online casinos and sportsbooks where Colombians can register, claim bonuses, and play games from suppliers with a game supplier license. Betfair, Fullreto, and Wplay are named as 3 successful operators in the country.
- Game Suppliers: Software companies such as Evolution, Microgaming, and Pragmatic Play can supply their game catalogues to casinos licensed under the operator framework. Aggregators that provide operators with white-label casino solutions are also included.
Coljuegos Licensing Rules and Regulations
Colombia’s gambling authority says its licensing framework aims to protect citizens and generate tax revenue for the national fiscal budget. Licensees must follow a set of rules:
- Fees & Review: The annual license fee is $200,000. Coljuegos reviews each operator or supplier and its finances every year. Before issuing a licence, the authority conducts fit-and-proper-person due diligence and reviews the applicant company.
- Security: Casinos must maintain adequate IT systems, use HTTPS encryption, and provide a privacy policy. The stated rule says personal information must not be shared with 3rd party companies.
- Financial: Player balances must be kept in a separate bank account. This arrangement is intended to guarantee reimbursement if a casino encounters financial difficulty. Casinos must also report earnings from Colombian players for anti-money laundering and tax purposes.
- Complaints: Operators are responsible for responding to complaints. Players who remain dissatisfied may take their complaint to Coljuegos. A high volume of complaints may trigger an early review of an operator’s practices and could result in a licence suspension or permanent revocation.
- Recording: Each casino game session must be recorded and retained in case it needs to be reviewed.
- RNGs/Software: Casino software must be certified by an authority such as Gaming Labs International, which tests algorithms and software. Coljuegos may request another test at any time, and testing is also required annually.
Conclusion
Colombia’s domestic licensing authority gives players a local organization to contact if they believe an online casino or sportsbook has treated them unfairly. Before this framework existed, players had to depend on overseas licensing services to resolve disputes—an arrangement the review describes as less safe than having Coljuegos oversee the market in Colombia.
Since licensing began, major brands such as BetFair, Microgaming, and Evolution have entered the market, among others. The review describes the outcome as a selection of casinos and sportsbooks available to Colombians that is safe, financially fair, and trustworthy.
