The Colombian economy has been quite changing, and the gambling sector is very competent, and is prepared for new opportunities of expansion and be open to the world.
However, illegal gambling in the country is becoming commonplace and the operations carried out by Coljuegos to disrupt clandestine halls do not seem to be enough. And even according to important personalities of the sector, as Cornazar´s president, Elizabeth Maya, who argues that the authorities carry out an investigation, close a clandestine casino and soon a new one is being installed.
"Illegal entrepreneurs do not have their machines checked and customs manifests do not exist or are adulterated, they are evading all types of taxes and all types of employment relationships with them employees," she says, adding that the permanence of these illegal salons is due that there is often coalition between businessman and authorities.
Of course, there is corruption, this is known. Sometimes the operatives of Coljuegos arrive when the premises are closed, there is information below the table and that is known, it is not a secret in the country, "says E. Maya.
As a reaction to this daily situation, both the guild and Cornazar have told their opinion to Coljuegos, and its president Juan B. Pérez, expressing that according to the high taxes paid ($228,000 Colombian pesos per machine that plays less of $1’759,000 pesos, when this figure exceeds 12% of the amount played, per machine) they should do more knowing the capacity of the state and that this is within the margin of the law, because the toxic mixture of illegal gambling, high tax rates including fixed taxes and the stabilization of the health of Colombians, are corralling 340 entrepreneurs in the sector.
Well in this last aspect about the stabilization of health, Elizabeth M. says that "We are making the health of Colombia stable almost by bankrupting 340 entrepreneurs in the gambling industry". The businessmen of the guild are almost seen as the saviors of health (public) in the country.
The president of Cornazar, who also explained that they are currently working with a Colombian agency to know gambling problem information in the country, also expresses positively about the future of the industry in general.
"The economy has changed; the opportunities are latent, and our game operators cannot be left behind."
"They must capture all these opportunities so that we have a transformed business, a mix of all these alternatives for these players. We think it's a good option, then we'll start from there. "
