Legislation

Coljuegos initiates renewed crackdown on unlicenced operators

With the aim of increasing the effectiveness in the fight against illegal online gambling, Coljuegos will directly send Internet Service Providers (ISPs) the requests to block websites that operate online games without paying the corresponding exploitation rights.

The president of Coljuegos, Marco Emilio Hincapié, explained that this strategy will be implemented based on Circular 017 of 2025, issued by the Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications (MinTIC) which defines the guidelines and procedures for blocking websites dedicated to the exploitation, sale, payment, or advertising of unauthorized games of chance.

“We are working in coordination to protect the games of chance industry. After several working sessions with the Ministry of ICT, we managed to simplify the process of blocking illegal gambling websites,” said Hincapié.

Hincapié highlighted that, to date, nearly 26,600 blocking orders have been issued against unauthorized betting sites.

“With this new procedure, we hope to block illegal platforms more quickly. We will no longer need to submit requests to different entities; instead, we will be able to directly order the blocks to internet providers,” Hincapié stated.

The measure from the Ministry of ICT is issued in compliance with Decree 0175 of 2025, through which tax measures were adopted due to the state of internal disturbance declared by the National Government.

“In addition to fighting illegal operators, our purpose is to protect resources intended for peace and health, as well as to provide greater guarantees to the 14 authorized operators in the country,” Hincapié concluded.

Circular No. 0017 of 2025 outlines the guidelines and procedures for requesting, assigning, and using credentials, as well as for uploading and blocking channels, websites, and media identified by Coljuegos that promote the exploitation, operation, sale, payment, advertising, or commercialization of unauthorized games of chance and betting. Internet service providers will be required to adhere to these guidelines and use an official platform to carry out the blocking of these sites.