ish gaming operator Codere has announced the official launch of its Colombia-facing website, on the Codere.com.co domain.

Earlier this week, the Colombian gaming regulator Colijuegos stated it has granted its fifth online gaming licence to Codere.

The new licence, which is worth almost $7m, will run for a five-year period and will cover sports betting and casino games online, via mobile and various face-to-face channels.

Codere will operate in Colombia through its ‘Codere Apuestas’ brand, expanding its current land-based operations. The Madrid-listed operator has been running game rooms, bingo halls and casinos in the country for more than 33 years.

Last year Colombia became the first Latin American jurisdiction to approve online gaming. Since then Colijuegos has issued three licences, to domestic operators Wplay.co, Corredor Empresarial and Colbet, but it was not until October when GAMING1 became the first international company to obtain an online casino and sportsbook licence.

Previous to Codere’s launch, Colijuegos President Juan B. Perez said the regulator expected to award ‘at least two more’ licences before the end of the year.