🇨🇴 Colombia · Coljuegos (Coljuegos)
Colombia Online Gambling Licence — 2026
The first regulated online gambling market in Latin America and the most centralised, run by a single national regulator on concession contracts. No fixed licence fee: 15% of gross win, plus a 16% consumption tax that applies for 2026 only.
Tier 3 — Emerging / recently liberalisedFacts on this page verified 17 September 2026 against primary sources.
Colombia was the first Latin American country to regulate online gambling, in 2016, and it remains the most centralised regime in the region. Coljuegos, an Empresa Industrial y Comercial del Estado, administers the monopolio rentístico de juegos de suerte y azar created by Ley 643 de 2001. There is no provincial or state layer to negotiate, which is the single biggest structural difference from Brazil, Mexico and Argentina.
The instrument is a concession contract rather than a licence in the European sense: a contrato de concesión para la operación de juegos de suerte y azar por internet en la modalidad de novedosos, created by Resolución 20161200025334 de 2016 and modified by Resolución 20201000008294 de 2020, with the guarantee mechanics amended again by Resolución 20250021304 de 2025. It runs for five years.
The economics are unusual for the region. There is no large fixed entry fee. The state takes 15% of gross gaming revenue as derechos de explotación, and operators must return at least 83% of stakes to players as prizes. What has been volatile is the tax layered on top, which has changed four times since February 2025.
Quick facts
| Regulator | Coljuegos ↗ |
|---|---|
| Tier | Tier 3 — Emerging / recently liberalised |
| Licence types | Concesión para la operación de juegos de suerte y azar por internet en la modalidad de novedosos |
| Application cost | No application fee is published. Coljuegos requires registration on its operator portal and more than twenty categories of document |
| Annual cost | No fixed annual fee. The recurring charge is 15% of gross gaming revenue in derechos de explotación, plus gastos de administración capped at 1% of those derechos |
| Gaming tax | 15% of gross gaming revenue (derechos de explotación, Ley 643 de 2001), plus a 16% national consumption tax for the 2026 tax year only under Decreto Legislativo 0240 de 2026 |
| Corporate tax | Colombia applies a general corporate income tax rate widely reported at 35%. We did not check it against the Estatuto Tributario this batch, so it is carried as reported rather than verified, in line with how capital and fees are treated on this page |
| Substance | A Colombian company holding the concession; the operator site must use an address ending in .CO; player accounts registered to an address in Colombian territory |
| Timeline | No reliable published period. One Coljuegos page mentions a two-month response, but the only two-month rule traceable in Ley 643 governs a different licence type, and the most recent published contract took about five and a half months from application to signature |
Verified facts — fees, tax, capital, market access
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Taxes and levies
| Charge | Base | Rate | Paid | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ggr taxColjuegos: derechos de explotación at 15% of gross gaming revenue under Ley 643 de 2001, with gastos de administración capped at 1% of those derechos | GGR | 15% of GGR | monthly | Officially verifiedThe standing charge is derechos de explotación at 15% of gross gaming revenue, with gastos de administración capped at 1% of those derechos (Ley 643 de 2001, art. 9). Coljuegos describes the same obligation to players as a contribution of 15% of monthly winnings to the health system. Effective from 16 January 2001
|
| point of consumptionDIAN: impuesto nacional al consumo of 16% created by Decreto Legislativo 0240 de 2026 for the 2026 tax year only, sitting on top of the derechos de explotación | GGR | 16% of GGR | monthly | Officially verifiedDecreto Legislativo 0240 de 2026, issued on 12 March 2026 under the flood emergency declared by Decreto 150 de 2026, creates a national consumption tax of 16% on games of chance operated exclusively over the internet, for the 2026 tax year only. The taxable event is the deposit the player makes in order to bet; the tax authority compilation states the base as gross gaming revenue, meaning bets less prizes paid, for the bimonthly period, and the operator collects and remits it. Effective from 12 March 2026 until 1 January 2027
The decree describes the taxable event as the deposit and the base as gross gaming revenue; that tension is where the earlier VAT was contested. Automatic constitutional review of Decreto 240 did not appear complete when checked. |
Locked or required capital — not a fee
- guarantee COP 615,000,000 — Guarantees rather than a capital floor: cumplimiento at 15% and salarios y prestaciones at 5% of the projected contract value, plus a prize-payment guarantee of at least COP 615,000,000 under Acuerdo 08 de 2020. No minimum capital figure is published.
Officially verified
The concession requires guarantees rather than a published capital floor: a cumplimiento guarantee of 15% and a salarios y prestaciones guarantee of 5% of the contract value, which the applicant projects, plus a prize-payment guarantee of at least COP 615,000,000 under Acuerdo 08 de 2020, art. 1.1.8. Coljuegos also requires a bank certification evidencing funds matching player account balances and a funded mechanism covering prize payment and the return of funds.
- Coljuegos — Contrato de concesión C2261 de 2026 con Global Vitxo S.A.S., firmado 20 May 2026 (cláusula 5ª plazo; obligación 34 premios; garantías) official-guidance
- Coljuegos — Cómo ser operador de juegos novedosos (Resolución 20161200025334 de 2016, modificada por la Resolución 20201000008294 de 2020) regulator
Capital that must be held is shown here so it is never mixed into fee totals; the cost calculator treats it as locked capital.
Market access — where this licence does and does not reach
Holding this licence does not create a right to take players in every country. Check the rules of the player's country. Rows without an evidence-backed rule say "Needs legal review" rather than assuming access.
| Player market | Status | Basis | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Britain | Local licence required | Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014: point-of-consumption licensing by the UKGC. | Officially verifiedA Colombian concession does not cover Great Britain: GB-facing operators need a UK Gambling Commission licence. |
| United States | Needs legal review | No evidence-backed rule in the registry for Concesión para juegos operados por internet (novedosos) and United States. | — |
| Canada | Needs legal review | No evidence-backed rule in the registry for Concesión para juegos operados por internet (novedosos) and Canada. | — |
| Brazil | Needs legal review | No evidence-backed rule in the registry for Concesión para juegos operados por internet (novedosos) and Brazil. | — |
| EU / EEA | Needs legal review | No evidence-backed rule in the registry for Concesión para juegos operados por internet (novedosos) and EU / EEA. | — |
| Latin America | Needs legal review | No evidence-backed rule in the registry for Concesión para juegos operados por internet (novedosos) and Latin America. | — |
| Asia | Needs legal review | No evidence-backed rule in the registry for Concesión para juegos operados por internet (novedosos) and Asia. | — |
| Africa | Needs legal review | No evidence-backed rule in the registry for Concesión para juegos operados por internet (novedosos) and Africa. | — |
Process and timeline
- pre applicationRegister on the operator portal and assemble the file
Coljuegos requires registration on its operator portal and more than twenty categories of document, including financial statements demonstrating capacity, a bank certification for the gaming account and a funded mechanism covering prize payment and the return of funds.
Needs review
No minimum capital or patrimonio técnico figure for internet operators could be verified from reachable primary text. Coljuegos requires financial statements demonstrating capacity, a bank certification for the gaming account and a funded prize-payment mechanism, without publishing a peso threshold. Figures circulating in adviser material are not carried here.
- applicationConstitute the guarantees
Cumplimiento at 15% and salarios y prestaciones at 5% of the projected contract value, plus a prize-payment guarantee of at least COP 615,000,000.
Officially verified
The concession requires guarantees rather than a published capital floor: a cumplimiento guarantee of 15% and a salarios y prestaciones guarantee of 5% of the contract value, which the applicant projects, plus a prize-payment guarantee of at least COP 615,000,000 under Acuerdo 08 de 2020, art. 1.1.8. Coljuegos also requires a bank certification evidencing funds matching player account balances and a funded mechanism covering prize payment and the return of funds.
- Coljuegos — Contrato de concesión C2261 de 2026 con Global Vitxo S.A.S., firmado 20 May 2026 (cláusula 5ª plazo; obligación 34 premios; garantías) official-guidance
- Coljuegos — Cómo ser operador de juegos novedosos (Resolución 20161200025334 de 2016, modificada por la Resolución 20201000008294 de 2020) regulator
- go liveConcession contract signed for five years and published
The concession runs five years. Coljuegos publishes the contract itself alongside the authorised-operator list, so the terms of any licensee are public.
Officially verified
The instrument is a concession contract with Coljuegos, not a licence in the European sense: a contrato de concesión para la operación de juegos de suerte y azar por internet en la modalidad de novedosos. Its term is five years (cláusula 5ª of contract C2261 of 2026), which is distinct from the three-to-five-year band that applies to juegos localizados.
- Coljuegos — Contrato de concesión C2261 de 2026 con Global Vitxo S.A.S., firmado 20 May 2026 (cláusula 5ª plazo; obligación 34 premios; garantías) official-guidance
- Coljuegos — Cómo ser operador de juegos novedosos (Resolución 20161200025334 de 2016, modificada por la Resolución 20201000008294 de 2020) regulator
Six competitor pages assert five years without a source; this is taken from the published contract text.
Sources and change log
Primary sources (statute, regulator, ministry, tax authority) are listed first. Superseded figures are kept, not deleted.
- Ley 643 de 2001 — régimen propio del monopolio rentístico de juegos de suerte y azar (art. 9 derechos de explotación y gastos de administración; art. 38 juegos operados por internet) statute · Función Pública, Gestor Normativo · accessed 17 September 2026
- Coljuegos — Operadores de juegos online autorizados (current list, last modified 31 August 2026) regulator · Coljuegos · accessed 17 September 2026
- Decreto Legislativo 0240 de 2026 (12 March 2026) — impuesto nacional al consumo del 16% sobre juegos de suerte y azar operados por internet, año gravable 2026 gazette · DIAN, compilación jurídica · accessed 17 September 2026
- Coljuegos — Contrato de concesión C2261 de 2026 con Global Vitxo S.A.S., firmado 20 May 2026 (cláusula 5ª plazo; obligación 34 premios; garantías) official-guidance · Coljuegos · accessed 17 September 2026
- Coljuegos — Cómo ser operador de juegos novedosos (Resolución 20161200025334 de 2016, modificada por la Resolución 20201000008294 de 2020) regulator · Coljuegos · accessed 17 September 2026
- Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014 statute · legislation.gov.uk · accessed 3 September 2026
Spot an error? Submit a correction — every change is versioned with its source and effective date.
Pros
- One national regulator, no provincial or state overlay, unlike Brazil, Mexico or Argentina
- No fixed licence fee: the charge is a share of gross win rather than a large fixed entry cost
- Coljuegos publishes the concession contracts themselves, so the terms any licensee operates under are public
- A working market since 2016 with fourteen authorised operators including Betano, Stake, bet365 rivals and local incumbents
Cons
- The tax position has changed four times since February 2025 and the current consumption tax expires with the 2026 tax year
- No published minimum capital, so the financial bar is a judgement rather than a number you can plan against
- Guarantees, not capital: 15% and 5% of projected contract value plus a prize guarantee of at least COP 615,000,000
- The regulator publishes two overlapping operator lists that disagree with each other
Best for
- Operators targeting the Colombian domestic market
- Groups wanting a regulated Latin American footing under one national regulator
- Operators that can fund guarantees rather than meet a capital floor
The tax position, with dates, because everything else you will read is stale
The standing charge has not moved: 15% of gross gaming revenue in derechos de explotación under Ley 643 de 2001, with gastos de administración capped at 1% of those derechos. Coljuegos describes the same obligation to players as 15% of monthly winnings going to the health system. What has moved, repeatedly, is the consumption tax sitting on top. A 19% VAT on player deposits was introduced by Decreto 175 de 2025 in February 2025 and reworked by Decreto 1474 de 2025. The Constitutional Court suspended the underlying economic emergency in Auto 082 de 2026 on 29 January 2026, then declared the measures unconstitutional in Sentencia C-079 de 2026 on 9 April 2026 and ordered refunds of the tax collected. That deposit VAT is dead, and pages still quoting it are describing a struck-down measure. In its place, Decreto Legislativo 0240 de 2026 of 12 March 2026, issued under the separate flood emergency declared by Decreto 150 de 2026, created a national consumption tax of 16% on games of chance operated exclusively over the internet, for the 2026 tax year only. The decree describes the taxable event as the player's deposit while the tax authority compilation states the base as gross gaming revenue for the bimonthly period, and that tension is precisely where the earlier VAT was contested. Automatic constitutional review of Decreto 240 did not appear complete when we checked, and the measure expires with the 2026 tax year in any case, so a 2027 model should not assume it.
What it costs, and what is not published
There is no fixed licence fee and no published application fee, which makes Colombia structurally different from Brazil at BRL 30 million or Anjouan at a flat EUR 17,828. The state takes its share of revenue instead. What the concession does require is guarantees: a cumplimiento guarantee of 15% and a salarios y prestaciones guarantee of 5% of the contract value the applicant projects, plus a prize-payment guarantee of at least COP 615,000,000 under Acuerdo 08 de 2020. Coljuegos additionally requires a bank certification evidencing funds matching player account balances, and a funded mechanism covering prize payment and the return of funds. What is not published is a minimum capital or patrimonio técnico figure. Coljuegos asks for financial statements demonstrating capacity and leaves the judgement open. Adviser pages circulate peso figures for this; none of them could be traced to reachable primary text, so we do not print one.
The regulator publishes two operator lists, and they disagree
This matters for anyone verifying an operator. Coljuegos maintains a current list, last modified 31 August 2026, showing fourteen authorised operators on contracts running up to C2261, including Betano, Stake and MrYoker. It also still publishes an older page, last modified 30 January 2024, listing fifteen operators on contracts numbered 1631 to 2007, including Betfair, Megapuesta, Fullreto and Wonderbet, and missing every operator authorised since. Both are live. Check the wrong one and you get a wrong answer in either direction: a current licensee missing, or a former one apparently still authorised. There is a second trap on the current page itself, whose surrounding text says sixteen legal sites while the table lists fourteen. Count the table, not the sentence.
Player-facing rules that shape the product
Three published rules do real work. The operator's domain or URL must end in .CO, which both .co and .com.co addresses satisfy, so wplay.co and betplay.com.co both qualify. Players must register an account whose address is in Colombian territory, which is what makes this a domestic market rather than an export licence. And operators must return at least 83% of the amounts received from bets to players as prizes, which appears as obligation 34 of the concession contract; where the operator acts as intermediary on cross bets, its commission may not exceed 17% of gross income. Responsible-gambling duties were restated by Resolución 20244000022654 de 2024 of 16 October 2024. Self-exclusion traces to Acuerdo 08 de 2020 and is implemented by each operator; we found no evidence of a central cross-operator registry, so claims that Colombia runs one should be checked before being relied on.
Application process
- Incorporate in Colombia and register on the Coljuegos operator portal
- Assemble the documentation, more than twenty categories, including financial statements, a bank certification for the gaming account and evidence of the prize-payment mechanism
- Constitute the guarantees: cumplimiento at 15% and salarios y prestaciones at 5% of projected contract value, plus a prize-payment guarantee of at least COP 615,000,000
- Coljuegos evaluates; no reliable statutory period applies, and the most recent published contract took about five and a half months
- Concession contract signed for five years and published by Coljuegos alongside the authorised-operator list
- Ongoing: derechos de explotación at 15% of gross win, the 83% payout floor, a .CO address and player accounts registered in Colombia
Operational realities
Capital requirements
No minimum capital or patrimonio técnico figure is published for internet operators. The financial test is guarantees plus evidence: a cumplimiento guarantee of 15% and a salarios y prestaciones guarantee of 5% of the projected contract value, a prize-payment guarantee of at least COP 615,000,000 under Acuerdo 08 de 2020, a bank certification evidencing funds matching player account balances, and financial statements demonstrating capacity. Peso capital figures circulating in adviser material could not be traced to primary text and are not carried here.
Player protection
Players register an account with an address in Colombian territory, and identity is verified against national documents; Coljuegos has extended the accepted documents to include PEP and PPT. Operators must return at least 83% of amounts staked as prizes. Responsible-gambling obligations were restated by Resolución 20244000022654 de 2024 of 16 October 2024. Self-exclusion traces to Acuerdo 08 de 2020 and is operated by each licensee; we found no evidence of a central cross-operator self-exclusion registry.
Banking & payment processing
A domestic regulated market with Colombian banking, so the payment friction that dominates offshore licensing does not apply in the same way. Deposits run through debit and credit cards, rechargeable cards and cash networks including Efecty, Baloto and Paga Todo. Operators must evidence funds matching player account balances.
B2B vs B2C licensing
The concession regime addressed here is the operator concession for juegos operados por internet. Coljuegos does not publish an equivalent standalone supplier concession in the same framework, so a supplier serving Colombian licensees should confirm its position with Coljuegos rather than assume a B2B route exists.
Recent developments (2025-2026)
The consumption-tax layer has moved four times. A 19% VAT on player deposits arrived by decree in February 2025 (Decreto 175 de 2025), was reworked by Decreto 1474 de 2025, then the Constitutional Court suspended the underlying emergency in Auto 082 de 2026 on 29 January 2026 and struck the measures down in Sentencia C-079 de 2026 on 9 April 2026, ordering refunds of what had been collected. In its place Decreto Legislativo 0240 de 2026, issued on 12 March 2026 under a separate flood emergency, created a 16% national consumption tax for the 2026 tax year only. Automatic constitutional review of that decree did not appear complete when we checked. Any Colombian tax figure without a date on it is worthless.
How it compares
Versus Brazil: Brazil charges BRL 30 million for a five-year federal authorisation covering up to three brands and taxes gross win at 12%; Colombia charges no fixed fee and takes 15%, so Colombia is far cheaper to enter and slightly heavier on revenue. Versus Mexico: Mexico issues no new federal permits and taxes at 50% of bets less prizes; Colombia is open to applicants. Versus Argentina: Argentina has no federal regime at all, only provinces, while Colombia is a single national regulator.
Frequently asked questions
What is the gambling tax in Colombia right now?
The standing charge is 15% of gross gaming revenue in derechos de explotación, plus gastos de administración capped at 1% of those derechos. A 16% national consumption tax created by Decreto Legislativo 0240 de 2026 applies for the 2026 tax year only. The 19% VAT on deposits that many pages still quote was struck down on 9 April 2026 and refunds were ordered.
How much does a Colombian gambling concession cost?
There is no published application fee and no fixed annual licence fee. The state takes 15% of gross gaming revenue instead. The cash you must commit is in guarantees: 15% and 5% of the projected contract value, plus a prize-payment guarantee of at least COP 615,000,000.
How long does the concession last?
Five years, per the published concession contract. That is distinct from the three-to-five-year band applying to juegos localizados, which several guides quote by mistake.
How many operators are authorised in Colombia?
Fourteen on the current Coljuegos list, last modified 31 August 2026. The regulator also still publishes an older page listing fifteen, last modified 30 January 2024, and the current page's own text says sixteen while its table shows fourteen. Count the table on the current page.
Is there a minimum capital requirement?
None is published. Coljuegos requires financial statements demonstrating capacity, a bank certification for the gaming account and a funded prize-payment mechanism, but no peso threshold appears in reachable primary text. Treat adviser figures with caution.
Can a Colombian concession serve players outside Colombia?
No. Player accounts must be registered to an address in Colombian territory. This is a domestic market licence, not a regional or export one, and there is no Latin American passporting of any kind.
Named experts covering Colombia
Real, publicly-verifiable practitioners whose work informs our coverage of this jurisdiction.
Further reading on Colombia
- Colombia Gambling Licence 2026: The Coljuegos Concession, and the Tax That Changed Four Times No fixed licence fee. The state takes 15% of gross win, and a 16% consumption tax applies for 2026 only. The 19% deposit…
- Peru Gambling Licence 2026: Two Taxes, Two Bases, and Why One Blended Rate Is Always Wrong The 12% is not a gross win tax. SUNAT adds bonuses into gross income and allows a 2% deduction, so it is 11.76% of net i…
- Chile Gambling Licence 2026: There Isn't One, and the Statute Says So in Terms Ley 19.995 art. 5 provides that a casino operating permit shall in no case cover online games of chance. The bill that w…
- Argentina Gambling Licence 2026: The Federal Tax Falls on Deposits, and Both Buenos Aires Markets Are Shut Decreto 293/2022 art. 4 sets the base as the net value of player deposits, not stakes and not gross win, so it is owed o…
- Mexico Gambling Permit 2026: No Licence to Apply For, a 50% IEPS, and the Route That Still Works Mexico has no online gambling licence. A SEGOB permit for an establishment, held by a Mexican company, is the only title…
- Brazil Online Gambling Licence — Law 14.790 + SPA Framework 2026 Brazil regulated online gambling under Law 14.790/2023 from 1 January 2025: BRL 30m for a five-year, three-brand authori…
Compare and define
- Licence cost benchmarks to compare Colombia against — application fee, annual renewal, gaming tax and the all-in first-year figure.
- How Colombia compares with 34 other jurisdictions — cost, tax, timeline and reputational tier, grouped by tier.
- Coljuegos — Colombia's national gambling regulator, an Empresa Industrial y Comercial del Estado administering the monopolio rentístico under Ley 643 de 2001. It grants concession contracts, not licences.