Online gambling: Officially legalised since 2016 - Colombia

Colombia became the first Latin American country to fully regulate online games: in 2016, Coljuegos approved a special regulation for juegos operados por Internet, and in 2017 issued the first license to the Wplay brand. This cemented the transition from a "gray" segment to a transparent licensed model.

Legal starting point: who and on what basis regulates

Framework law. Ley 643/2001 consolidated the state monopoly on luck and chance games and the principles of their operation and control. This is the "constitution" of the sector on which all subsequent acts rely.

Profile regulator. Decree 4142/2011 created Coljuegos as a state-owned industrial and commercial company with the authority to operate, administer and issue regulations for games included in the monopoly.

2016: Online Formal Resolution

On June 9, 2016, Resolución 20161200013324 was published, which established full-fledged requirements for online operations and providers: technological integration, reporting, security, audits, etc. It was this regulation that opened the way for issuing licenses and launching the "white" market.

2017: first license and start of the commercial era

On June 30, 2017, Coljuegos issued the first online license to Aquila Global for the Wplay brand. co - from that moment on, the first legal operator of online betting/games appeared in the country.

Further development: products and rule updates

After the launch of licensing, Coljuegos consistently expanded and clarified the by-law base: the catalog of permitted games and requirements for the online market expanded (including 2018 clarifications). The regulator regularly updates technical standards and lists, maintaining the relevance of the norms.

Constant supervision and combating illegal

Coljuegos actively controls the market, including blocking illegal sites and social media pages to protect consumers and the tax base. This is confirmed by the latest statistics on large-scale blocking of resources without permissions.

Why it matters to the region

Coljuegos directly emphasized the primacy of Colombia: the country became the first in Latin America to regulate online games at the level of special mode and licenses. Thanks to this, the Colombian model is perceived as a guideline for other jurisdictions in the region.

Timeline (brief)

2001 - Ley 643/2001: state monopoly and basic principles of game operation are fixed.

2011 - Decree 4142/2011: Coljuegos, a specialized regulator, was created.

2016 - Resolución 20161200013324: regulations for online games approved.

2017 - first online license: Wplay. co.

Since 2016, online gambling in Colombia has been officially legal and regulated: there is a clear legal framework, a working regulator institution and licensing and supervision practices. The country became the "pioneer" of LATAM, and its model became the standard for neighbors: transparent entry rules, technological standards, regular updates and real market control.