Decisions taken at the national level by both local and national governments, seeking to control the increase in infections as a result of the third wave of COVID-19, have caused an economic imbalance in the industry that has been impossible to sustain for the entrepreneurs of the games of luck and chance.

It is no secret to anyone that since the pandemic began, the most affected by this protectionism have been us as an entertainment and tourism industry, that despite being two different industries there is a strong connection between them.

Our work as a union from the ground up has been to support the businessman, the casino operator so that they can sustain themselves during these difficult times that we have lived in the last year.

However, for many it has been impossible to continue the operation of their casinos with all the operating costs that a casino has like payroll, rent, taxes and investment in slots machines that is transferred in debt because many of the operators ask for loans in their banks to be able to make your investments.

It worries us the most that at no time has this sector been given the importance it deserves, Coljuegos since its change of presidency has shown no greater interest than giving lukewarm cloths to businessmen. We have already had 2 crisis committees in which we have presented to President Cesar Augusto Valencia, forceful actions that can really alleviate the burdens that our operators live, because unlike many sectors in the country we could not have access to subsidies, banking loans or other types of mechanisms.

We had already communicated many of the petitions presented to the Coljuegos team, including its president, Cesar Augusto Valencia Galiano, in the crisis committees, through a public letter on February 8:

1. Review of the minimum numbers of gambling elements established by contract and by establishment.

2. Proportionality between the collection of taxes including exploitation rights and administrative expenses with the operating time allowed by the restrictive measures (curfews, quarantines). In addition, those that declare a fixed rate can exploit or operate under the same established restrictions.

3. Immediate flexibility of financial indicators because they affect inventory movements, extensions, and renewals of concession contracts, considering that as a result of the current situation they will be difficult to comply with.

4. Response to the observations sent regarding the resolution of the commitments and facilities for the payment of future obligations sustained over time while the health emergency exists in the country.

5. Application of the "Exception of unconstitutionality" allowing the non-application of the rule that requires the reliability of slot machines, that is, non-application of the Homologation of machines.

6. Immediate solution to the problem of your platform to carry out procedures with greater agility, including obtaining the NUC and registered trademarks of the game elements to add them.

7. Include within Coljuegos' action plan, seek reliability in gaming elements that have a fixed fee charge for exploitation rights and administration expenses.

This week Coljuegos published a project in which it establishes two measures for the sustainability of the sector, of which the most important is proportionality in the settlement of gaming tables in casinos and bingo chairs, this is undoubtedly a very important help for operators, however, it is not enough.

We as a union are waiting for the response from Coljuegos on the acceptance or not of these requested points, and if it must create or modify any other, there must be forceful measures by the regulatory entity at this time it cannot be thought Only in the generation of income for the government, should they think about how to help the sector that contributes so much to the country so that it can survive this crisis.

The sector needs a helping hand in these moments of uncertainty and so much lack of operation, many of our entrepreneurs are waiting for what is going to happen with this third wave to decide to close or continue, which if it is safe is that the health of Colombians is going to end up being the harmed one and the other pandemic, unemployment, is going to increase.