Operator News
Colombia – Coljuegos and Ministry of Health looking at how to lift Colombia’s restrictions
By Phil - 20 April 2020
The Colombian authorities are moving towards lifting the suspension caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and reactivating the operation of games of chance throughout the country, although the limitations for reopening haven’t yet been outlined.
Alongside this, operators will be given certain measure to alleviate pressures from operating in the new environment including greater freedom on the importation of used slot machines, provided they are certified.
Decree 576 states: “Operators of games of luck and chance, in coordination with the entities managing the monopoly and the health authorities, shall adopt protocols for the prevention of spread and spread of COVID-19, for conducting the draws; for the reactivation of the sale of tickets or credits for participation in the points of sale; and for the opening of commercial premises for games of luck and chance, which will be opened according to the capacity of the establishments and the measures of capacity and social distance that, for this purpose, are defined by Coljuegos and the Ministry of Health and Social Protection.”
Casinos and slot halls will be able to reopen their doors once the limitations and restrictions have been defined by the country’s health and regulatory authorities.
The decree states: “The opening of commercial facilities must be subject to the capacity of the establishments and the measures of capacity and social distance that, for this purpose, are defined by Coljuegos and the Ministry of Health and Social Protection.”
Within the regulations, it is highlighted that in order to improve the flow of resources to the health sector, from May until December 31, 2020, the distribution and transfer of resources from games of chance will take place in the month following its collection.
Throughout the rest of 2020 and into 2021, resources from unclaimed prizes, specifically the 25 per cent that is used in the fight against illegal gambling, may be used to ‘guarantee the fulfilment of the functions of contractual monitoring and management to those authorised; likewise, resources may be allocated for the functions of inspection, marketing, liquidation, collection, transfer and for the development of new games.”
And as part of the aid from the authorities to the operators, given the difficulties that the sector is going through due to the suspension of operations, the contractual year “that includes the months of the period between March and December 2020 will not be taken into account to verify compliance with agreements related to minimum profitability or guaranteed gross income.”
For the duration of one year, slot manufacturers, their representatives and distributors in Colombia, or operators with a concession contract that buy them directly from a manufacturer, will be able to import remanufactured used game elements, provided they are models certified by the laboratories, in compliance with the technical requirements issued by Coljuegos.
