History of gambling in Colombia

Colombia is a rare example of a LATAM country where the evolution of the gambling market has gone from a tough state monopoly and offline latks to a comprehensive regulatory model covering both the terrestrial sector and online gaming. Today it is one of the reference systems of the region: clear rules, a specialized regulator Coljuegos and a legalized online segment.

1) State monopolies and the "architecture" of the 2000s

Law 643/2001 secured the state's monopoly on "luck and chance games" and laid out the operation, concession and control regime on the shelves. It was he who became the basis for subsequent reforms and industry contracting.

In the early 2000s, the national numerical lottery Baloto (a symbol of the formation of the modern model) was launched. Regular runs have been running since 2001; the operator at different periods was structures associated with IGT (International Game Technology).

2) From ETESA to Coljuegos: management reset

In the 1990s and 2000s, the sector was controlled by the ETESA department (and even earlier - ECOSALUD), however, claims to efficiency and scandals led to the restart of the supervision system. In November 2011, Coljuegos was created - a specialized regulator that replaced ETESA, with expanded powers to license, supervise and combat the illegal segment. The basis is Decree 4142/2011 (later the structure was specified by decrees of 2015).

Why is this important historically? For the first time, the regulator received a clear mandate to collect fiscal revenues from games and systemic compliance, and not just "accounting for permits." This made it possible to lay the foundation for the digital transformation of the market.

3) "Digital turnaround": Colombia is the first in the region

In 2016, Colombia became the first Latin American jurisdiction to approve full-fledged rules for online gaming (eGaming). Based on the acts of Coljuegos, licensing, reporting, technical standards and tools for combating illegal sites were spelled out.

In 2017, Coljuegos issued the first online license to Aquila Global for the Wplay brand. co - actually the start of the commercial era of iGaming in the country. It was followed by other licenses, as well as the expansion of the product line (including live casinos and poker with liquidity regulation).

4) Evolution of the grocery basket: from lotto and slots to the omni channel

Lotteries and numerical games. Baloto, as an "anchor" of a national scale, has consolidated the habit of legal circulation, fees and transparency in the distribution of funds to healthcare and social programs.

Land casinos and slots. In the 2000s - 2010s, the inventory and reformatting of concessions took place; Coljuegos consistently closed gray machines and points without permits, strengthening the legal pool of operators.

Online verticals. After 2016, sports betting, casino content (including live), poker were licensed. As the market matured, the regulator expanded the list of permitted games and clarified technical requirements (certification, reporting, responsible play).

5) Institutional maturity: why Colombia is a "role model"

By the mid-2020s, Colombia was perceived by the industry as the "LATAM standard": predictable norms, a specialized regulator and the established practice of issuing/renewing licenses. Industry reviews regularly cite the country as a benchmark for neighboring jurisdictions in terms of eGaming and compliance.

6) Milestones and dates (short time feed)

2001 - Law 643/2001 (monopolies, framework for operating games) + launch of regular Baloto runs.

2011 - Decree 4142/2011: creation of Coljuegos (change of ETESA to a specialized body).

2016 - adoption of rules for the online market (Colombia is the first in the region).

2017 - first online license: Wplay. co (Aquila Global).

2017 - n. c. - increasing the number of licenses, expanding the product line (live casino, poker), campaigns against illegal online.

7) What sets Colombia's model apart historically

1. Sequence of reforms: from the basic law (2001) - to the managerial reboot (2011) - to digital liberalization (2016 +).

2. Single competence center (Coljuegos): licensing, control, fiscalization and player protection in the same hands.

3. Early legalization of online: historical leadership in LATAM and accumulated practice in courts/supervision.

4. The social orientation of revenues: the legacy of the monopoly is a connection with the financing of health care/social programs (through fixed revenue distribution mechanisms).

8) Value for region

The experience of Colombia has shown neighbors that the "gray" reality can be replaced by a working legal ecosystem: with transparent taxation, responsible marketing and an understandable entrance for international operators. It is no coincidence that many countries in the region referred to the Colombian roadmap and Coljuegos decisions when drafting their laws.

Conclusion

The history of gambling in Colombia is one of institutional adulthood. From the declarative framework of the early 2000s and the management crisis of ETESA, the country came to a professional regulator and the first full-fledged model of online games in Latin America. It was this sequence of steps that transformed Colombia from a "market with potential" to a regional benchmark - with sustained fiscal returns and a high standard of compliance.