Best Live Casinos for Players from Colombia

Online Gambling in Colombia

Background

Colombia is a pioneer in Latin America when it comes to online casino regulation. In October 2016 Colombia became the first Latin American country to formally legalise online casino games and sports betting with the passing of their eGaming Act. The Act permits local and international operators who obtain a license from regulator Coljuegos, to offer games of chance including casino games to Colombian residents online.

In June 2017, Medellin based Aquila Global Group (operators of Wplay.co) became the first operator to be awarded a Colombian eGaming license. The same month, Coljuegos announced its intentions to protect locally licensed operators by compiling a blacklist of 325 un-licensed sites and requiring ISP’s to take measures to block them.

Interestingly Coljuegos also announced in November 2017 that Colombian licensed operators would be able to offer customers live dealer baccarat, blackjack and roulette games in addition to RNG games. The decree was noted as another measure designed to increase the competitiveness of locally licensed operators versus unlicensed operators.

Current Regulations

Licensing, regulation, and monitoring of all online gambling activities in the Colombia remains the responsibility of Coljuegos.

• Licenses and taxes: Licenses are awarded for a period of 5 years. Operators are then taxed on their Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR), at a rate of 15% to 17% tax depending on game RTP rates. There’s also a requirement to make additional contributions to health and social welfare programs as directed by Coljuegos.
• Permitted gambling categories:
  – Sports Betting: Both pre-match and live betting on a wide range of sports.
  – Casino Games: Online slots, table games (blackjack, roulette etc), other casino-style games.
  – Poker: Online poker is permitted, with various formats and tournaments available.
  – Bingo and Lotteries: Online bingo and lottery games are also allowed under the regulatory framework
  – Live dealer games are permitted
• Advertising: Limits are placed on advertising to protect vulnerable members of the community. Additionally, marketing expenditure is capped at 20% of projected GGR to prevent excessive advertising.
• Enforcement and blocking: Coljuegos collaborates with ISPs and financial institutions in attempts to block access to unlicensed gambling websites. A blacklist of unlicensed websites is still maintained.

Major Operators

As at August 2024, 15 operators both international and local were licensed to operate in Colombia’s regulated online gambling market via their ‘.co’ domain. Key players include:

• Wplay.co: First licensee and prominent local operator with a strong market presence in sports betting.
• BetPlay: A leading local operator known for its extensive sports betting and casino offerings.
• Betsson: Established European based operator offering sports betting and wide range of casino games
• Bwin: Global brand and part of the Entain group, offering sports betting comprehensive range of online casino games (including live dealers).
• Stake: Renowned crypto casino with an extensive live games range.
• Codere: A significant international operator with a robust presence in the Colombian market.

Best live casinos for Colombian players

Live casinos accepting Colombian players, and offering full Spanish language support capabilities and localised live dealer tables..…