Online Gambling: Latin America's First Legalized Market - Colombia

Introduction: Why Colombia is' first'

Colombia was the first in Latin America to create a full-fledged mode for online games: on June 9, 2016, the regulator Coljuegos approved Resolución 20161200013324 with technical requirements for juegos operados por Internet, paving the way for licensing. Already in July 2017, the first online license was issued to the Wplay brand. co (Aquila Global). From that moment on, the country received a "white" digital market with formal rules for entry and supervision.

1) Legal basis: "rama" and "institute"

Framework law. Ley 643 de 2001 consolidated the state's exclusive monopoly on luck and chance games and determined that revenues go to public needs (primarily health care). This is the "constitution of the sector," from which all subsequent norms are repelled.

Profile regulator. Decree Law 4142/2011 created Coljuegos as a state-owned industrial and commercial company associated with the Ministry of Finance, with a mandate to operate, administer and issue monopoly game regulations. Coljuegos' central role provided manageability and a single standard for online.

2) 2016: regulations for online games and technical framework

Coljuegos approved Acuerdo 4 de 2016 (regulations for "games operated via the Internet") and related packages: data model, technical requirements and Resolución 20161200013324 (09 itself. 06. 2016), which "expedited" the rules of operation, integration and reporting. This block of norms recorded: player registration, data protection, audit, requirements for random number generators and integration with the regulator's platform.

💡 The formal definition of "online game" in the Colombian system is additionally based on Ley 643 modifications (Art. 38) made by Ley 1753/2015: the bet and payment of prizes are made only via the Internet after registering the player on an authorized portal.

3) 2017: first license and launch of the "white" market

On July 4, 2017, Coljuegos signed the first online operations contract with Wplay. co is the historical launch point for commercial legal online. This was followed by the issuance of new concessions to other operators and the expansion of the product line (sports, slot content, roulette, etc.).

4) Evolution of rules: refinements and additions after launch

After 2016, Coljuegos updated the "online package" more than once: it published updated Requerimientos Técnicos and made changes to Acuerdo 4/2016 (2019-2020), clarifying articles on products, integrations, log storage and access control (18 +). This maintains the technological "freshness" of the norms and reduces regulatory risks for operators and players.

5) Supervision and anti-grey circuit

Colombia consistently closes the "gray" channels: Coljuegos regularly announces the blocking of illegal sites and the pursuit of unregulated "draws" in social networks. In 2024-2025, the department publicly reported on new blockages and the destruction of illegal equipment - this increases the share of turnover "in the white zone" and protects the consumer.

6) What does it give the market and the player

Transparent entry for business. Public regulations and the list of authorized operators on the Coljuegos website reduce barriers and uncertainty.

User protection. Age barrier 18 +, KYC, published "rules of the game," audit, secure payments and an understandable complaint procedure. The basics are protected in resolutions and technical requirements of 2016 +.

Social return. Revenues from the monopoly are directed to health care, which makes "legal online" a socially significant source of funding.

7) Timeline of key milestones (short)

2001: Ley 643 - state monopoly and revenue purpose.

2011: Decree-law 4142 - creation of Coljuegos as a profile regulator.

2016: Acuerdo 4/2016 and Resolución 20161200013324 - LATAM's first comprehensive online gaming mode.

2017: Wplay. co - the first license for online operations, the launch of the "white" market.

2019-2020 +: updates of technical requirements and regulations to maintain relevance.

Colombia became the first jurisdiction of Latin America, which not only "allowed" online games, but built a system: a framework law, a specialized regulator, detailed technical regulations, licensing practices and a powerful "anti-gray" circuit. The result is a predictable market for operators and a secure environment for the player. For anyone studying LATAM, the Colombian model remains a starting point - and a proven template for how to translate gambling from the shadows into a transparent digital ecosystem.

💡 Useful: texts Resolución 20161200013324, Acuerdo 4/2016, data model and technical requirements, as well as a list of authorized operators are available on the Coljuegos website - from there it is convenient to check the regulation and brand status before publishing or playing.