Zona de Azar Colombia – Coljuegos Has Blocked 10,000 Sites Offering Illegal Gambling

Colombia – February 6, 2025 www.zonadeazar.com The Colombian gaming authority, Coljuegos, has shared the results of its policy against unauthorized online gambling, reporting that it has blocked around 10,000 websites and social media profiles offering illegal gambling services.

Among the blocked platforms are international online sites, including virtual casinos, bingo games, and sports betting operators, as well as social media profiles promoting unauthorized raffles and promotional games.

In the statement, Marco Emilio Hincapié, president of the regulatory body, said: “During our administration, we have managed to take strong action against illegal operators who, through fraudulent sites, offer games of chance without proper authorization. This is the highest number of blocked websites in the history of our institution.”

He also reminded that, for now, only 16 brands have been authorized to operate online gambling and sports betting in Colombia. These companies have contributed 435.248 billion pesos to the healthcare system through exploitation rights, while illegal gambling continues to harm these revenues.

“As an institution, we are following President Gustavo Petro’s directives: to fight illegality in the industry and protect resources for Colombians’ healthcare,” Hincapié explained.

Next Steps Against Illegal Gambling

For 2025, Coljuegos announced plans to finalize administrative sanction processes against influencers and brands that promote unauthorized raffles and games of chance. So far, 35 cases are under investigation.

Additionally, the agency has requested the Cyber Police Center and Meta to block 289 more social media profiles on platforms like Facebook and Instagram that have promoted raffles, bingo games, promotional contests, or unauthorized gambling advertisements in the country.

“The operation of games of chance without authorization is a crime under Article 312 of the Penal Code. Furthermore, those found guilty could face a penalty of 100 current legal monthly minimum wages,” the statement concluded.

Edited by: @_fonta www.zonadeazar.com