Colombia: Coljuegos seizes 569 illegal gambling devices

Coljuegos, the Colombian regulator, has carried out operations in the cities of Montería and Tuluá that resulted in the confiscation of 569 illegal gambling devices. 

According to the regulator, these operations prevented annual losses of approximately COP 311m ($77,750) for the subsidized healthcare system.

In Tuluá, the seized devices, totalling 548, included boards, ball machines, and furniture linked to unauthorized bingo operations. The establishment where they were found did not hold a concession contract with Coljuegos and was avoiding payments estimated at COP 150m per year in exploitation rights.

In Montería, 21 slot machines operating without authorization in different parts of the city were confiscated. These machines were estimated to withhold around COP 161m annually from healthcare transfers.

Marco Emilio Hincapié, president of Coljuegos, said: “Every cent wagered without Coljuegos authorization means fewer resources for the subsidized health system. In this administration, there are no off-limits territories in the fight against illegal gambling.”

Good to know: In H1 2025, Colombia’s gaming sector transferred COP 884bn to the subsidized healthcare system, with COP 566.5bn from national games, a 26.9% increase year-on-year

So far in 2025, Coljuegos has confiscated 2,672 illegal devices in several departments, including Quindío, Santander, Nariño, Tolima, Bolívar, Córdoba, Cesar, La Guajira, Meta, Atlántico and Risaralda, in addition to Bogotá.

During July, Coljuegos held its third territorial training session in Medellín, bringing together police, business owners and citizens, with support from Red Gana, the Antioquia Governor’s Office, the National Police and the Medellín Lottery.

The regulator also reported that 2,582 devices have been destroyed this year. Between 2024 and 2025, nearly 11,000 illegal devices have been dismantled.

Alex Rivera

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My goal is to explain how gaming, esports, and betting intersect in ways that readers can actually understand, without stripping away the entertainment that makes the space compelling.

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