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The latter part of 2025 is turning out to be a turning point for the gaming industry in Colombia. According to the Corporación Nacional de Empresarios de Suerte y Azar (Cornazar), the industry is confronted with some pertinent challenges that can influence its viability and competitiveness. Cornazar President Elizabeth Maya emphasized that the evolving regulatory scenario, labor reform, and new product verticals are among the most pressing concerns of operators and stakeholders.
Among the primary concerns raised by Cornazar is the continued imposition of the 19% VAT on e-gaming, which has economically strained legally licensed operators. Maya explained how this tax has “skewed user behavior” and imposed a “high tax burden” upon firms that have historically accounted for public health budgets in Colombia.
Reductions in Investment and Employment
The economic pressure is not only tightening ad and marketing expenditures but also forcing platforms, casinos, and bingo clubs to cut jobs. These are supplemented by the issues created by the persistence of illegal gambling enterprises, which continue to drain revenue away from controlled channels.
Cornazar believes that these developments threaten the long-term viability of the legal gaming ecosystem. “We’ve communicated to the national government in many ways the need to deeply reevaluate this decision”, Maya stated. “This tax disincentivizes investment by creating a perception of regulatory instability, which in turn deters new entrants and jeopardizes the continuity of current operators.”
Maya also cited growing concern and bewilderment among players. According to her, the majority of players do not have any distinct notion of why the government would implement such new rules, generating a sense of uncertainty. “This would push players into unregulated platforms, ultimately undermining the integrity of the industry“, she warned.
Along with taxation, changes in labor law are the second most important evolution. The recently ratified labor reform reduces the normal workweek to 44 hours, increases the Sunday pay surcharge to 80%, and increases the threshold for overtime to work time after 7:00 p.m. For both land casinos and bingo halls, the adjustments could dramatically increase labor costs and operating complexity.
Raffles Regulation and Virtual Betting in Focus
Cornazar also noted that the Coljuegos and the Consejo Nacional de Juegos de Suerte y Azar (CNJSA) are currently developing new raffles regulations, recently made public for consultation. The association committed to participating in such consultations and making sure the resulting legislation fits industry realities.
Besides this, Cornazar is also suggesting the introduction of new categories of products, such as betting on computer races and sports. These are new revenue streams, but have to be brought in under robust regulatory guidelines in order to succeed in the long term.
A Coordinated Response
To navigate through these shifts, Cornazar intends to start technical discussions with stakeholders in order to examine the regulatory and labor effects on internet-based and land-based gaming businesses. The association will continue to push for equitable and stable conditions to enable the industry’s development and integrity.
“Preparedness is everything“, Maya summed up. “Cornazar is committed to representing and fighting on behalf of our members through the resolution of these challenges. We feel that through collaboration and regulatory clarity, the industry has the potential to flourish in Colombia.”
While the second half of 2025 begins, the Colombian gaming sector stands at a crossroads. How the issues are resolved can determine not only the fate of individual operators but also the overall direction of the country’s licensed gaming business.
Source: YogoNet
