Coljuegos, Colombia’s gambling regulatory authority, announced on Friday the establishment of a new registry aimed at curbing the import of illegal slot machines into the country. Starting in 2026, all electronic slot machines must be registered prior to their import into Colombia. This initiative is part of Resolution 8594 of 2025, which introduces the Single Registry of Importers and Distributors (RIC). The measure gives importers and distributors a 45-day window from the resolution’s publication on January 26 to comply. Coljuegos President Marco Emilio Hincapié Ramírez emphasized that the move is crucial for safeguarding the licensed land-based gambling sector and ensuring continued financial support for the nation’s healthcare system, which heavily relies on gambling tax revenues.
The regulation aims to bolster oversight of electronic slot machine entry and sales, thereby thwarting illegal activities that undermine legal market operations and reduce public health funding. In 2025, land-based gambling contributed COP378.3 billion (approximately $104.8 million) to Colombia’s healthcare system, marking a 9.3% increase from the previous year. This contribution represented 39% of the total revenue generated by the country’s gambling industry, indicating the critical role of regulated slot machines in national revenue streams.
Colombia’s market hosts around 109,000 licensed slot machines across more than 3,700 authorized venues, a density that highlights the need for stringent regulation, according to Hincapié. In 2024, METS (electronic slot machine) imports surpassed $22.5 million, underscoring the sector’s scale and the urgency of imposing tighter controls. The RIC process mandates that importers report each slot machine’s destination within 10 days of customs clearance, a process coordinated with the National Directorate of Taxes and Customs to ensure proper licensing and tax distribution.
The introduction of stricter import regulations coincides with uncertainty in Colombia’s online gambling tax landscape. Recently, the Constitutional Court suspended Decree 1390, which proposed a 19% value-added tax (VAT) on gross gaming revenue from online gambling. The decree, issued under a “state of economic and social emergency,” faced judicial scrutiny over whether the circumstances justified such measures. Consequently, the online gambling sector reverts to the standard 15% GGR tax rate. According to Juan Camilo Carrasco, managing partner at Sora Lawyers, reintroducing the 19% VAT may prove difficult, particularly during an election year and given the court’s reservations about invoking emergency powers.
The contrasting regulatory approaches for land-based and online gambling reflect broader sector dynamics in Colombia. While the land-based segment strengthens its compliance mechanisms, online operators navigate a less predictable tax environment. This disparity could influence market strategies and regulatory compliance efforts across both sectors.
Looking forward, the immediate focus for importers and distributors is to align with the newly established RIC requirements within the given timeframe. For the online gambling sector, the next steps involve monitoring potential legislative or regulatory amendments concerning VAT, as any reintroduction would significantly impact operational costs and tax obligations. As the Colombian gambling landscape continues to evolve, stakeholders across the industry will need to adapt to these regulatory changes while balancing compliance with operational efficiency.
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