Colombia, a country of over 52 million people, has had a regulated online gambling market since 2016. The national regulator, Coljuegos, oversees licensing and compliance, and its framework is widely regarded as the most advanced and structured in Latin America.
At Itzitip, we help operators looking to enter the Colombian market, as well as game studios and platform providers seeking to get certified and distribute their products to licensed operators.
We also assist certification labs that want to obtain official authorization to operate in Colombia.
Gambling regulation in Colombia
Coljuegos deeply analyzed the Spanish gambling regulation when preparing their own one, hence there are a lot of similarities between both regulations.
GGR in Colombia was approx 52 million EUR in 2022. Spain is a country with a similar population and GGR in Spain is 18 times that of Colombia (950 million euros GGR in Spain per year approx).
Gambling tax in Colombia is 15% and there are other fees to pay to Coljuegos on a yearly basis.
Moreover, operators are requested to have local presence in the country, with at least a branch, and there is a guarantee to be paid in order to get the license (of approx 150.000 USD).
Companies currently operating in Colombia
There are 16 operators operating in Colombia. A few more have left the market, and there are a mix of local and international operators.
Among the local ones we can stand out Betplay and Wplay and among the internationals we have Betsson, Bwin, and William Hill.
These are all the operators currently operating in Colombia (note that Betfair sold their license to Stake and Mozzartbet stop operating in December 2023):
Getting an online gambling license in Colombia
Operators must go through a formal licensing process with Coljuegos, meeting technical, financial, and legal requirements to offer games legally to Colombian users.
Licenses are granted for a set period and require ongoing compliance and regular reporting.
At Itzitip, we help operators navigate the entire licensing process, from initial strategy to documentation, submission, and post-licensing support.
Lear more about how to get an online gambling license in Colombia.
Certifying games for game studios
Game studios that want to distribute their content in Colombia must certify their games through one of the test labs authorized by Coljuegos.
This certification ensures that games meet all technical, fairness, and reporting standards required by the Colombian regulator. Once certified, games can be offered to licensed operators in the country.
We support studios throughout the certification process, from understanding the technical requirements to coordinating with accredited labs and preparing the necessary documentation.
Certifying an online gambling platform
Online gambling platforms must also undergo certification in order to be integrated by licensed operators in Colombia.
The certification process evaluates the platform’s integrity, security, and reporting capabilities. It must comply with the technical standards defined by Coljuegos and be certified by an approved test lab.
At Itzitip, we work with platform providers to guide them through the certification steps, helping them gain access to the Colombian market.
Getting authorization for a test lab
Test labs that want to operate in Colombia must first be officially authorized by Coljuegos.
The process involves meeting a strict set of technical, operational, and legal requirements, and demonstrating the ability to evaluate gambling software according to Colombian standards.
Itzitip can support test labs in preparing their application, understanding regulatory expectations, and securing approval to certify games and platforms for the Colombian market.