Colombian regulator relaunches Chiquinquirá lottery following 22-year pause
2026-07-15
Source: Global Gaming Insider
Coljuegos has revived the Chiquinquirá lottery after 22 years, with a special draw on September 19 offering total prizes of over COP$36.7 billion. The regulator expects sales of COP$3 billion and estimates COP$360 million in healthcare contributions, following a positive audit for its recent operations.
Colombia's gambling oversight body, Coljuegos, has confirmed the revival of the Lotería de la Villa Republicana de Chiquinquirá after a hiatus of more than two decades. The return is marked by a special draw held in collaboration with the Sorteo Extraordinario de Colombia.
The draw, set for September 19, will feature total prize money exceeding COP$36.7 billion (approximately $11.3 million), with the top prize set at COP$15 billion. Tickets are priced at COP$20,000 and will be available for purchase throughout the country.
Marco Emilio Hincapié, President of Coljuegos, noted that the initiative emerged from collaborative efforts between the lottery sector and the Consejo Nacional de Juegos de Suerte y Azar, an entity focused on strengthening the gaming industry in Colombia's regions. He projected that ticket sales would reach roughly COP$3 billion, and estimated that over COP$360 million would be generated for healthcare services in the municipality of Chiquinquirá.
Cultural and Regulatory Context
Hincapié also linked the draw to the cultural significance of the Virgin of Chiquinquirá, Colombia's patron saint. He stated that President Gustavo Petro had signed a law establishing July 9 as a national holiday, commemorating the date in 1829 when Pope Pius VII proclaimed the Virgin as the country's patroness. Hincapié reminded the public that lottery tickets should be purchased only through authorized sales points.
The announcement follows a favorable evaluation of Coljuegos by Colombia's Contraloría General de la República for its 2024 and 2025 operations. The audit commended the regulator's financial management and transparency, and the agency reported an increase in revenue transferred to the national health system during the reviewed period.