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Almost a quarter of a million Colombians asked to self-exclude from licensed online betting platforms across 2024 and 2025, according to figures released by the national gambling regulator, Coljuegos.
The regulator said 245,199 people registered to block themselves through operator portals, a number it links to wider work with licensed firms to promote safer play and steer users away from harmful habits.
Coljuegos president Marco Emilio Hincapié said the agency has been running a public awareness drive called “Take Control, Play It Safe”, aimed at warning players about the risks of uncontrolled gambling. He said the goal is to treat gambling as entertainment, not addiction.
The figures also point to a consistent gender split
In both 2024 and 2025, men accounted for 81% of self-exclusions, while women made up 19%.
Coljuegos said the largest volumes come from the country’s most populated areas. In 2025, Antioquia led the records with 21.39% of registrations, followed by Bogotá at 19.07%. Valle del Cauca, Atlántico and Santander also recorded significant shares.
Hincapié described self-exclusion as a self-care tool that is becoming more common
He said the steady rise in requests suggests more players understand the risks of excessive gambling and are looking for practical ways to protect their health and well-being.
The regulator also highlighted how the process works on licensed sites. Coljuegos said all 14 authorised online operators provide a dedicated self-exclusion section. When a user applies, operators block betting activity linked to that person’s identification number, preventing wagers on profiles tied to the excluded ID.
Coljuegos said it will keep working with operators to strengthen these measures and improve safer gambling tools across Colombia’s regulated online market.
Source: Coljuegos
