Coljuegos, Colombia’s gambling regulator, has blocked 10,000 websites and social media profiles offering illegal betting as part of its latest black market crackdown. The blocked sites provided gambling activities in the country without maintaining a local license or paying the stipulated yearly fees, Coljuegos said in a press release.
The blocked sites included virtual casinos and bingo halls, as well as sports betting operators offering illegal raffles. Those found operating illegal gambling in Colombia risk a fine of COP142,350,000 ($34,246). Only 16 sites are currently licensed to offer legal online betting in the South American nation.
The regulator said it is in the process of conducting 35 administrative sanctioning processes against influencers and companies that support illegal gambling through social networks. Coljuegos has also reached out to the national police and tech giant Meta to block an additional 289 media profiles conducting or promoting illegal gaming.
“During our administration, we have managed to decisively attack illegal operators who, through fraudulent sites, operate games of chance and luck without the respective authorization,” said Coljuegos president Marco Emilio Hincapié. “This is the highest number of blocked portals in the history of our entity.”
Regulated companies operating in the online sector paid approximately COP435.2 billion ($104.5 million) in license fees over 2024, with the money ultimately transferred to Colombia’s health system. Hincapié noted that via site blocking, the regulator is helping the government in its objective to better protect Colombia’s health industry.
The latest crackdown comes as the regulated sector grapples with a new tax that operators warn could deal them a major blow. The government has reintroduced proposals for a new value-added tax for online betting at a 19% rate, yet to be clarified whether it would be applied to turnover or deposits.
The tax has been reintroduced on a temporary basis for an initial 90-day period, following the suspension of its permanent implementation back in December. The Colombian Association of Gaming Operators (Asojuegos) had previously warned the tax could have “devastating consequences” on the regulated sector, driving players to the black market.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2025/02/05/94196-colombia-39s-gambling-regulator-blocks-10-000-websites-social-media-profiles-offering-illegal-betting
