In its latest accountability report presented , Coljuegos highlighted a historic year in revenue collection for the healthcare sector, surpassing one trillion Colombian pesos in annual transfers for the first time. This milestone reflects the expansion of the gaming and gambling sector, driven primarily by online betting and land-based gaming operations.
According to Coljuegos President Marco Emilio Hincapié Ramírez, in the first two and a half years of Gustavo Petro's administration, the entity has collected 2.2 trillion pesos, representing 37% of the 6 trillion collected since 2012. This figure underscores the strengthening of regulations and the fight against illegal gambling operations.
Growth of Online Betting and Casinos
The online gaming sector registered a 43% growth in 2024, reaching 436 billion pesos in transfers. Compared to the 318 billion collected in 2023, this increase reflects the growing importance of online sports betting and virtual casinos as major revenue sources.
Meanwhile, land-based gaming operations, including casinos and bingo halls, accounted for 33% of total collections. Overall, total gaming revenues reached 1.046 trillion pesos in 2024, exceeding projections with a compliance rate of 101.56%.
Allocation of Resources
Funds collected by Coljuegos are primarily allocated to the healthcare sector, benefiting approximately 770,000 Colombians under the subsidized health system. Key allocations include:
- 663 billion pesos to the Ministry of Health.
- 188 billion pesos to departmental health funds.
- 63.3 billion pesos to the Ministry of Science and Technology for healthcare-related projects.
- 47 billion pesos to the Territorial Benefits Fund (Fontet).
- 27.7 billion pesos to departmental health funds.
Technological Modernization and the Fight Against Illegal Gambling
One of Coljuegos' key advancements has been the implementation of the Gaming Artificial Intelligence Center (CIAC), a tool that enables real-time monitoring of over 110,000 slot machines and 17 online gaming operators. Additionally, CIAC includes an illegal site detection system, which has led to the blocking of over 10,000 websites and 228 social media profiles involved in unauthorized gambling operations.
Over the past year, Coljuegos has seized 4,376 illegal gaming devices and destroyed 8,317 slot machines, reflecting a loss of approximately 250 billion pesos in transfers that were diverted due to illegal operations. Furthermore, the entity has filed 577 complaints with the Attorney General's Office, reinforcing efforts against money laundering and illicit enrichment.
Regulation of New Gaming Modalities
With the enactment of Decree 1486 in December 2024, Coljuegos has established stricter regulatory frameworks for raffles, enabling greater control over this gaming modality and generating revenue expectations exceeding 70 billion pesos in the coming year.
Additionally, strategies have been put in place to formalize over 100,000 illegal slot machines through the "METs de la Paz" initiative, which aims to regulate these devices and ensure their operators contribute to public healthcare funding.
Projections for 2025
For the upcoming year, Coljuegos plans to launch two new gaming options: Keno and virtual sports betting. The entity also aims to finalize its institutional restructuring process and implement stricter controls on online betting platforms. The organization will continue its modernization and oversight strategy to further increase healthcare-related transfers.
With these initiatives, Coljuegos reaffirms its commitment to transparency, sector growth, and the fight against illegal gambling, positioning Colombia as a leading example in gaming regulation across Latin America.
