2024 was a year in which Coljuegos, the regulatory entity of games of chance in Colombia, continued implementing new strategies for the control and collection of games of chance.
Due to this, the collection for this year surpassed COP 1 trillion (more than $230 million) in transfers for the health of Colombians, information that Yogonet had confirmed in September of this year. This, undoubtedly, was not only a historical record for Coljuegos but also for the country. The agency also highlighted that online games of chance boosted the country’s economy in the third quarter of the year.
In an interview with Yogonet, the President of Coljuegos, Marco Emilio Hincapié, provided an assessment of what 2024 was like and the challenges that lie ahead for 2025.
What is your assessment of 2024 for Coljuegos?
In 2024, Coljuegos reached the historical figure of COP 1 trillion in transfers for the health of Colombians, which is equivalent to about $230 million.
This was possible due to the fact that the entity is carrying out a technological and institutional modernization process that allowed improving the collection and intensifying the actions against illegality in the industry.
So far in 2024, Coljuegos has seized close to 3,300 illegal elements of games of chance and has destroyed 8,317 electronic slot machines, internet betting modules, roulettes, bingo, and casino tables, among other elements. Likewise, the entity has issued more than 7,600 blocking requests for illegal gambling websites.
Likewise, during the present year, online games of chance boosted the growth of the national Gross Domestic Product. This indicates that the industry is stronger than ever due to the actions of the regulating entity.
El #2024 fue el peor año para quienes operan juegos ilegales. Las apuestas no autorizadas afectan directamente los recursos para la salud de los colombianos. #ColjuegosUnaNuevaHistoria pic.twitter.com/kMupYCrPL0
— @ColjuegosCo (@ColjuegosCo) December 16, 2024
What news of the gaming industry do you consider the most important of the year that is ending and why?
Undoubtedly, the most important news of the industry has to do with the contribution to the national economy made by Internet-operated games. As previously indicated, online gambling was the activity that boosted the growth of the national GDP, largely due to the regulatory innovations implemented by Coluegos.
Furthermore, Coljuegos has been working to expand the offer of products and, therefore, to increase the resources for the health system. Thus, this year the decree authorizing five-digit lottery draws and the regulation of the game called Keno came into force. With this, it is expected to increase the resources for health by more than COP 70,000 million per year ($16.1 million).
What are Coljuegos’ expectations for 2025?
2025 will be a year of growth for the entity. In this period, we will continue strengthening the technological system to improve the surveillance, control, and collection of the games that operate nationwide.
#NoSeasUnMonstruo Juega únicamente en establecimientos y páginas web autorizadas por #Coljuegos. #JuegaLegal pic.twitter.com/YdU3D1uVV6
— @ColjuegosCo (@ColjuegosCo) December 12, 2024
We will also enter into a process of institutional redesign, which will allow us to provide better labor guarantees to our workers and modernize the entity to respond efficiently to the current needs of the industry.
With the goal achieved in transfers during 2024, which exceeded one trillion pesos, is there a higher goal projected for 2025?
By 2025, the collection target will be COP 1.16 trillion. This will be a huge challenge for the entity, since, in addition to maintaining the positive behavior of the industry, we will have to continue growing in transfers for health.
We hope that the new regulations regarding draws, added to the start of operations of Keno, will allow us to surpass the goal during 2025.
