Yes, casinos are legal in Colombia. Gambling is undoubtedly a mainstream movement in the country, with most forms of betting licensed and regulated at the state level. The first online casino in Colombia, Wplay.co, was licensed in 2017. Since then, Colujuegos, the regulatory authority, has been tasked with licensing local and offshore casinos in the country.
Under the 1991 constitution, the government collected and managed gambling proceeds for social uses. It is worth noting that betting laws are contained under the 2001 Gambling Act, which saw the government oversee key gaming activities in the country, including sports betting, greyhound hustling, bingo, and lotteries.
The eGaming Act passed in October 2016 inspired significant growth in the gambling sector. With this law in place, Colombian punters can now bet on online casino games and sporting events from their desktops, tablets, and smartphones. However, this law did not bind foreign online casino operators. This meant that Colombian punters were still at risk of falling victims to unscrupulous online casinos operating in the country.
In September 2016, online betting in the country was sanctioned. However, in November 2017, Coljuegos lifted the ban against sports betting, virtual games, keno, and live dealer casino games, among others.
Legal Casinos
The government allows gambling in Colombia for both online and land-based casinos, for as long as all the terms and conditions are met. The casino providers have to obtain various licenses and permits from the relevant governing and regulating bodies. Some rules and regulations have also been set to ensure they run the casino business fairly and according to the law. The operators have to pay their taxes to be considered as operating by the law.
Regarding players, anyone can participate in gambling for as long as they are above the recommended age limit. The players can also gamble on new international casinos that are foreign-based.
Licensed Casinos
Players should ensure that they play only in licensed casinos. This applies to the casinos in Colombia and those outside its borders. A licensed casino operates as per the regulating body's rules and regulations, usually set to protect the players. That means the chances of winning are not tampered with for the benefit of the operators.
Licensed casinos are also more secure regarding the money deposited in accounts or winnings, as there have been cases of people losing money after casinos suddenly shutting down.