Best Colombian sportsbooks

Population: 50.882.891
Active players: 6.000.000
Currency: Colombian peso (COP)
Regulated gambling products: Sports betting, horse racing, lottery, casino games
Designated authority: Coljuegos
Operator types: Licensed & unlicensed online sportsbooks and casinos, land-based betting shops & casinos
Status: Regulated

Colombia is a unitary republic made up of 32 regions and a capital district. It has an estimated population of around 51 million. Furthermore, it is the birthplace of football legends Carlos ‘El Pibe’ Valderrama and René ‘El Loco’ Higuita. As regards gambling, Colombia has a long tradition going back to the colonial era. The first official casino license has been issued in 1943.

Sports betting has become a common pastime for many Colombians in recent years. The turning point was in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and the following legalization of online sports betting in 2016. At the moment, there are not too many foreign sportsbooks in Colombia holding a local license. Yet, there isn’t any law to prevent players from placing their bets on their favorite international bookies.

Gambling in Colombia - 5 things to know

• Legal gambling age is 18 years
• The licensing fee is $200.000
• Currently, 17 online bookies hold local licenses
• Coljuegos is the country’s gambling regulator
• Betting winnings are tax free

Best sportsbooks in Colombia

If you’re looking for a decent sportsbook, Colombia offers many options. The following are the top 3, offering a wide range of betting markets on the Categoria Primera A, along with high odds and useful services.

Sports betting Colombia: The gambling law framework

Gambling in Colombia has began since the colonial era. The first official Colombia gambling license for casinos was issued in 1943. Almost 35 years later, in 1977 and 1978 respectively, the authorities reviewed the Colombia gambling laws; paving the way for a booming industry. In 1991, all betting activities were under the umbrella of the state that had the monopoly.

From 3 November 2011 onwards; Coljuegos has been in charge of supervising the country’s betting landscape. The Colombian eGaming Act that came into effect in 2016 regulates online sports betting. Up to now, Coljuegos has issued 17 online betting licenses, to mostly local operators, such as ColBet, Wplay, Zamba and BetPlay. The Colombia gambling tax for licensees is at a 15% rate on their GGR; plus an additional 1% for the administrative supervision of Coljuegos.

Essential information for Colombian bettors

Many local Colombia betting sites have been licensed since 2017. International bookmakers, like Bwin and Betfair, also hold a local license. However, those who choose to bet on non-licensed international bookies are not prosecuted; since there is no specific law to prevent them from doing so. Betting winnings are not taxed, neither on local bookies, nor on the international ones.

Bet Colombia: How to deposit at online bookies

Very common among bettors who wager on domestic licensees are debit/credit cards. Furthermore, when it comes to bookmakers, Colombia allows payments not only in the local currency, but in US dollars as well. On the contrary, players who bet on non-licensed international sportsbooks fund their accounts via globally known e-wallets, such as Skrill and Neteller. That’s because they want to keep their personal details as safe as possible. On top of that, lots of them deposit with cryptocurrencies.

The future of betting in Colombia

From 2017 onwards, Coljuegos began providing licenses to online sportsbooks. As the gambling industry is booming, the government is about to extend the issuance of licenses to more international top gambling sites in Colombia. Through this move, the government will benefit from tax revenue deriving from gambling and make local bettors more satisfied; since most of them like to place their wagers on foreign operators.

The complete list of Colombian bookmakers

The following list contains all the online sportsbooks that operate in the Colombian betting market.