Colombia’s gambling industry has contributed more than COP4 trillion ($1.07 billion) to the country’s healthcare system since President Gustavo Petro took office in 2022, according to figures released by regulator Coljuegos.
The latest data shows that nearly 45% of all healthcare transfers generated by the regulated gambling sector since 2012 were made during Petro’s administration. Overall, the industry has delivered COP9.2 trillion to public healthcare since Coljuegos was established.
Coljuegos president Marco Emilio Hincapié said the sector is currently experiencing its strongest period on record and suggested 2026 could set a new high for healthcare funding. Speaking during the Ibero-American Gaming Summit in Bogotá, Hincapié pointed to COP532.5 billion already collected between January and May this year.
Despite the strong revenue figures, Colombia’s gambling operators continue to face pressure from changing tax policies. The market was affected by a 19% VAT on player deposits introduced during 2025 as part of emergency economic measures linked to unrest in the Catatumbo region. The tax was later revised and eventually suspended by the Constitutional Court.
Earlier this year, the government introduced another emergency decree that applied a 16% VAT on gross gaming revenue, this time connected to flooding-related response measures. The move renewed concerns among operators and trade groups over the financial burden placed on the sector.
Industry association Fecoljuegos previously warned that online gambling revenue in Colombia had fallen sharply following earlier VAT measures, highlighting the ongoing tension between government tax collection goals and operator profitability.