Bogotá Channels COP 89.6B from Gaming to Healthcare
Between January and October 2025, Bogotá secured more than COP 89.6 billion for its health system through legally regulated gaming activities. This milestone highlights the critical role that Colombia’s gaming sector plays in supporting public health services. The funds were sourced from officially licensed games, including lotteries, Chance Betting and Raspa & Listo, all of which feed into the subsidized healthcare regime.
The announcement coincided with the signing of a new Pact of Legality between Coljuegos, Colombia’s national gambling regulator and the Bogotá Lottery. Marco Emilio Hincapié, President of Coljuegos, emphasized that the growing flow of funds demonstrates the tangible societal benefits of stringent regulation and enforcement. He added that regulated bingo, in particular, has steadily increased its contribution to healthcare for the country’s most vulnerable populations.
Breakdown of Contributions by Game Type
From the total COP 89.639 billion transferred to Bogotá, COP 28.137 billion came from the nation’s 15 legal lottery operations, with Bogotá, Antioquia and Valle del Cauca contributing significantly to the capital’s subsidized health services.
Chance Betting and Raspa & Listo games, managed under concession by Grupo Gelsa, together contributed COP 60.013 billion, accounting for the largest share of total gaming-derived revenues in the city.
Pacts for Legality and Combatting Illegal Gambling
Coljuegos attributes the growth of regulated gaming revenue to its active approach in fighting illicit gambling. Since the start of the current administration, dubbed “The Government of Change,” the regulator has signed over 45 Pacts of Legality with public and private institutions. These agreements focus on intelligence sharing, joint enforcement actions and tackling illegal gaming operations.
Luis Gabriel Fernández, General Manager of Bogotá Lottery, highlighted that illegal gambling poses a major threat to public resources, with money laundering losses estimated at over COP 1.5 trillion annually. Fernández stressed that ensuring revenues reach healthcare programs is a top priority in the fight against criminal organizations.
Enforcement and Operational Measures
Bogotá has emerged as a hotspot for enforcement operations targeting unauthorized gambling. Coljuegos, in collaboration with the National Police, has carried out comprehensive raids across all city districts, including high-risk zones such as the Bronx neighborhood.
These operations have resulted in the seizure of 1,037 illegal gaming devices, including slot machines, bingo setups and unlicensed online betting terminals. Online measures have also been ramped up, with over 37,111 blocking orders issued against illegal betting websites, reinforcing the government’s strategy to curtail unregulated platforms.
Social Impact and Future Plans
Revenue from legally regulated games directly supports Bogotá’s health services, particularly benefiting low-income communities. Moving forward, the government aims to stabilize and grow these contributions through stricter oversight and continued enforcement. The new Pact for Legality strengthens collaboration between Coljuegos and the Bogotá Lottery to combat clandestine casinos and illegal betting operations.
Bogotá’s experience demonstrates how coordinated regulation and institutional enforcement can transform gaming into a reliable source of social funding, reinforcing the sector’s role in public welfare.
