Coljuegos: Petro-Era Gambling Transfers Reach COP7.2trn for Health Care
2026-08-06
Source: Global Gaming Insider
Coljuegos said Colombia's regulated gaming sector transferred COP7.2trn ($2.26bn) to healthcare under President Petro, supporting 6.1 million low-income residents. Online gambling, tax changes, and planned Keno and virtual betting expansion frame the market's outlook.
During President Gustavo Petro's term, Colombia's licensed gambling industry channeled COP7.2trn ($2.26bn) into the health system's subsidized regime, Coljuegos reported. That funding helped cover care for around 6.1 million residents with low incomes.
Of the total, COP4.6trn originated from nationally regulated games, with COP2.6trn coming from regional lotteries and other locally administered games. The regulator also noted that national games have delivered COP9.7trn to healthcare since 2012, making 2022–2026 responsible for 47.4% of that figure. Against the regulator's entire history of transfers, the Petro-era share stands at 44.42%.
Online gaming was a major contributor, with COP1.76trn going directly to healthcare across the four years. The online segment additionally produced roughly COP1.3trn in taxes earmarked for programs in territories touched by the armed conflict. Coljuegos logged upwards of 10.8 million active online accounts and close to 1.9 million players who played regularly each month.
The market has had to absorb repeated changes to gambling taxes. A temporary 19% VAT on online deposit amounts appeared in February 2025, after which the taxable base shifted to gross gaming revenue. Then in March 2026, a national consumption tax of 16% on GGR came into force.
Brick-and-mortar offerings also contributed: casinos and bingo halls transferred about COP1.63trn during the period, Baloto added COP291.73bn, regional chance games produced COP1.33trn, and lotteries accounted for COP1.05trn.
Coljuegos credits part of the growth to regulatory adjustments involving raffles, expanded chance-game formats and extraordinary lottery draws. Decree 1486 of 2024 set fresh rules for raffles and their authorization across Colombia.
Looking ahead, the regulator expects additional transfers from the reintroduction of virtual sports betting and the debut of Keno, with the Keno concession previously projected to generate COP485bn for healthcare over five years. Coljuegos has also floated a Preliminary Unique Identification Number for imported electronic slot machines, a measure meant to improve equipment tracking before permanent authorization under the existing registration system.