Coljuegos seizes 569 illegal gambling items
Continuing the state regulator's recent enforcement drives, Coljuegos has conducted further raids in Monteria and Tulua.
Key points:
– 569 illegal items seized in Monteria and Tulua
– Estimated cost to the Government of the criminal operations is a combined COP 311m ($78,000)
– Since 2024, Coljuegos has destroyed nearly 11,000 illegal gambling items
The Colombian state regulator, Coljuegos, has been clamping down on illegal gambling over the past two years and officials have continued this enforcement drive with the recent confiscation of 569 illegal gambling items.
The latest busts took place in the cities of Monteria and Tulua in the Northern and Western regions of the country respectively – the Tulua operation yielded incriminating items such as boards and ball pits, as well as gambling-related furniture and evidence of illegal bingo operations.
The bulk of the confiscated materials were taken in Tulua, Valle del Cauca, though in Monteria, Cordoba, officials also found 21 illegal electronic slot machines spread across the city.
So far in 2025, Coljuegos has seized a total of 2,672 illegal gambling devices and destroyed 2,582 of these items – since 2024, that figure is nearly at 11,000.
Marco Emilio Hincapie, the President of Coljuegos said this: “Every peso wagered without authorization from Coljuegos means less resources to fund the subsidised system. Under this administration, there are no forbidden territories to combat the mafias that swindle healthcare resources.”
The remit of Coljuegos has a strong focus on protecting the healthcare system and treats illegal gambling operations as a threat to public health and its financing.
Good to know: In H1 2025, Colombia’s legal gambling sector contributed COP 883.9bn to the subsidised health system
In Tulua, the establishment that was raided did not have the requisite Coljuegos concession contract, and it is estimated that the financial cost to the Government was COP 150m that ought to have been paid annually in operating rights.
The slots seized in Monteria are similarly reckoned to have been depriving the healthcare system of COP 161m each year.
Hincapie has been clear that enforcement action will be intensifying further over the coming months – operations have taken place all across the country already in 2025, including the capital Bogota.
The Coljuegos President reiterated: “We are cracking down on illegal gambling in every corner of the country.”
Gambling Insider delivers the latest industry news, in-depth features, and operator reviews that you can trust. Our team combines rigorous editorial standards with decades of specialized expertise to ensure accuracy and fairness. We are committed to delivering clear, impartial, and dependable coverage across the global gambling sector.
