£100k raid on illegal establishments in Colombia

The Colombian gambling regulator has seized illegal gaming equipment worth around COP500m (£100,756) in a raid on five establishments.

Coljuegos said the five illegal establishments in the Santa Fe neighbourhood in Mártires, Bogotá, took bets worth COP26bn (£5.2m).

The regulator said it seized 89 items including one electronic slot machine, 29 computers, 31 televisions, 28 CPUs and other elements such as ticket printers and VDR memories.

“In 2024 we will continue to fight firmly against the illegal operation of games of luck and chance, which not only impact the resources that are allocated to the health sector in the country, but also affect legal operators in their management of providing entertainment options,” said Marco Emilio Hincapié, president of Coljuegos.

“In the national government we will be implacable with those who evade responsibility and operate outside the law.

“We make an important call to natural and legal persons that currently operate without the proper authorisation of Coljuegos, to approach the entity and request the respective permits to formalise this economic activity, it is a call for legality.”