Payment methods: PSE (local system), cards, cryptocurrencies - Colombia

Market context

Online gaming in Colombia is a state monopoly overseen by Coljuegos. Any online platform must have regulator authorization; offers without it are considered illegal. This directly applies to payment methods: permissible solutions and their connection are regulated by the technical requirements of Coljuegos.

PSE (Pagos Seguros en Línea): local payment standard

What is that. PSE is a national online payment platform from ACH Colombia that allows you to pay directly from your bank account without a card, with instant confirmation for online purchases and deposits. The service is supported by most banks and is deeply integrated into Colombia's e-commerce.

Why PSE - must-have on operator sites:

direct debiting from the account → fewer refusals, higher deposit conversion;
user confidence in the "banking environment";
compliance with regulator expectations on transparency and traceability of flows.
PSE connection and testing by operators is recorded in documents and certifications related to Coljuegos integrations.

💡 Infrastructure note: in 2025, the Bank of the Republic launches the Bre-B instant payment system, and some former services (for example, Transfiya) "go under the hood." This does not cancel the PSE, but shows a general movement towards instant and interoperable payments in the country.

Bank cards (Visa/Mastercard, etc.)

Cards remain the usual method of replenishment and conclusions for licensed operators: quickly, familiar UX, support for chargeback processes and proven anti-fraud tools. Legally, the operator must prove compliance with the technical requirements of Coljuegos (certification of payment circuit components, reporting, AML/KYC). Practical guides for the Colombian market consistently list cards among the "basic" methods along with PSE and bank transfers.

Cryptocurrencies: what is allowed and what is not

Licensed operators are prohibited. Specialized manuals on gambling law in Colombia directly indicate: cryptocurrency is not allowed for Internet bets from operators authorized by Coljuegos. It is a key regulatory watershed for payments in iGaming.

Supervision practices. In 2025, Coljuegos initiated the blocking of the Polymarket prediction crypto site as an illegal operator: bets were accepted in cryptocurrency and without the authorization of the regulator. This case emphasizes that crypto payments in bets outside the "white field" will be suppressed.

But what about "cryptocasino for Colombians"? On international sites, the wording "gray zone" for players from Colombia is found, but this does not legalize such deposits: offshore cryptocasinos operate outside the jurisdiction of Coljuegos and do not provide local legal protection.

💡 Outside iGaming, the financial regulator (SFC) had a sandbox mode ("la Arenera"), where transactions with crypto platforms and payments were tested; but that does not overturn the ban on cryptocurrency in betting under the Coljuegos licence.

How players choose the payment method and what is important to the operator

For the player:

1. Prefer PSE and maps on sites marked Autorizado por Coljuegos. This guarantees legality, clear withdrawal procedures and protection of rights.

2. Avoid cryptocurrency deposits for bets - licensed brands don't allow this; offshore sites do not provide local guarantees.

3. Reconcile fees/limits and withdrawal times in operator rules (T & C/Ayuda). Coljuegos specifications include reporting and compliance controls.

For the operator:

Support for PSE and maps - "hygiene" of local onboarding; these methods are explicitly mentioned as expected for the Columbia market.
All integrations and payment flows must comply with Requisitos técnicos de juegos operados por internet and be certified by approved laboratories.
Pay-with-PSE communication increases trust and simplifies KYC/AML control. Coljuegos itself uses PSE in its payment services.

Colombia's legal online sector is dominated by PSEs and bank cards - fast, traceable and compliant with Coljuegos regulations. Cryptocurrencies for internet betting are prohibited from authorized operators, and attempts to bypass through offshore are a game without local legal protection and with the risk of blocking. If you are a player, choose "white" methods on licensed ones. co platforms; if you are an operator, build a payment funnel around the PSE and cards, strictly observing the technical requirements of the regulator.