Colombia was the first Latin American country to fully regulate online gambling, in 2016. Coljuegos issues nationwide operating licences and the market is widely cited as the regional blueprint.
Regulatory framework
Law 643 and Coljuegos resolutions govern online operation. Licences are awarded for five years to locally-incorporated operators that meet capital, technical-platform and responsible-gambling requirements.
Licence types
Licence typeCost / capitalTerm
Online Operation ConcessionRights fee + guarantees5 years
Brand / Sub-brand AuthorisationPer brandWith concession
Platform CertificationAccredited labsPer system
Application & compliance
Incorporate in Colombia and post financial guarantees.
Submit ownership and integrity documentation to Coljuegos.
Certify the gaming platform and connect to the monitoring system.
Deploy KYC, AML (UIAF) and self-exclusion tooling.
Pay rights fees on GGR and report regularly.
Taxation
Operators pay rights fees (derechos de explotación) on GGR plus corporate tax. A 19% VAT on player deposits has been applied as a fiscal measure, materially affecting deposit economics.
Player protection & compliance
Whitelisting and ISP blocking of unlicensed sites.
National self-exclusion tools.
KYC and AML under UIAF supervision.
Advertising limited to licensed brands.
Coljuegos actively blocks unlicensed domains and payment flows, giving licensed operators a protected market.