Coljuegos has rolled out a series of temporary relief initiatives to aid land-based operators and concessionaires impacted by the magnitude 6.1 earthquake that struck on August 10.
This initiative aims to facilitate the recovery of gaming outlets, terminals, and promotional activities without altering existing tax or fee obligations. The relief measures are outlined in Resolution No. 20260019544, published last week, and are targeted specifically at land-based operators and establishments. It also covers points of sale and equipment that have sustained physical damage from the earthquake.
Coljuegos emphasizes that a simple decrease in revenue does not qualify an operator for relief. Eligibility will require rigorous verification and ongoing monitoring by the regulator.
Among the support measures for land-based operations, affected operators can apply for expedited transfers of gaming equipment from damaged locations to authorized sites. Additionally, premises significantly impacted by the quake may be classified temporarily as "zero premises" while retaining their operational authorization. This approach seeks to ensure business continuity for local gaming activities.
Operators will have a four-month period, extendable once, to replace or restore the minimum required gaming equipment, while expedited authorization for new sites will be granted when original premises were destroyed. Coljuegos has committed to streamlining the approval processes for replacement equipment.
Land-based gambling has proven to be an essential component of Colombia's economy. In the previous year, casino and bingo operators contributed COP378.3 billion ($104.8 million) to the country’s healthcare system.
In particular, Colombia’s national lotteries and number games will receive specific relief measures. For Baloto, operators can temporarily exclude verified point and terminal unavailability from certain performance metrics and can also request rescheduling of visits, testing, and deployment deadlines in the affected areas.
Super Astro licensees may have documented terminal outages recognized for the affected period and will be allowed to submit regularized data afterwards, operating under adjusted schedules for repairs. Similarly, KENO operators will be permitted to adjust timelines for deployment, testing, and acceptance, also excluding affected points from considerations.
In terms of online gaming, operators generally must comply with current schedules for transmission, reporting, declaration, settlement, and payment, owing to the centrally managed systems. However, Coljuegos has indicated that case-by-case relief may be provided if operators can demonstrate a direct and significant inability to meet these requirements due to earthquake disruptions. To uphold consumer rights and business continuity, requests to amend draw dates, locations, marketing periods, and operational processes for raffles and promotional games will be prioritized.
It is important to note that these measures do not constitute waivers for taxes or fees. Recently, the outgoing Colombian president proposed a new tax reform bill to Congress, including a permanent 19% VAT for online gambling operators. This VAT was temporarily introduced in February 2025 to address funding needs amid civil unrest in the Catatumbo region. Previous attempts to establish the tax permanently in December were unsuccessful, with the government continuing efforts in the latest budget deliberations.
