Supplier News
Colombia – Colombia to launch public awareness campaign
By Phil - 31 July 2013
The new gaming control board in Colombia, Coljuegos is to launch a public awareness campaign designed to reverse negative connotations previously associated with gaming.
The new campaign will seek to inform Colombians that the industry is well regulated and will try to eradicate preconceptions which are usually associated with gaming such as money laundering, organised crime and prostitution.
Speaking to local news portal El Heraldo head of the Board Rodrigo Vélez said that the new gaming board was “leaving nothing to chance” and was looking at ways to create a “culture of legal and responsible gaming” in Colombia. Looking at other jurisdictions in Europe in Latin America such as Italy and Chile as possible models Mr. Vélez said that the gaming board would work hard to prevent underage gambling, make sure that casinos and other gaming establishments pay promptly and that winnings are divided fairly between the customer, gaming establishments and the state. At the same time the gaming offer in Colombia will be modernised and diversified.
With a larger staff, a wider remit to enter and inspect casinos the announcement comes at a time when Coljuegos is undertaking a large scale crackdown on illegal gaming in the country. In the last four months alone the board has confiscated over 1,000 slot machines nationwide. The newly appointed Gaming Board was set up in 2012 and replaces ETESA (The Territorial Enterprise for Health) after it was discovered that members of the previous board were accepting bribes in return for stays of closure.
The new board is made up of members from a number of government ministries and its director is directly appointed by the President. It has launched the new campaign in order to help it achieve its goal of increasing tax revenue by fivefold by the end of the year. Gaming tax revenue in Colombia is destined for the health sector and currently makes up 2 percent of its budget. Mr. Vélez announced in 2012 that Coljuegos aimed to raise at least 2bn Colombian pesos (US$1,059,600.05) per year.
