"eSports will help boost the online gambling industry in Colombia"

Following the approval in Congress of the bill that recognizes eSports as a discipline, the 14 online gaming operators will be able to expand the offer of bets related to sporting events. This will allow dynamizing the sector and increasing the transfers for peace and health of Colombians.

"eSports already have legislative backing. We know that these sports are the present and the future; that is why we are not going to be left out of these technological advances. These sports will allow us to boost and expand the offer of the online gambling sector that we regulate," said Marco Emilio Hincapié, President of Coljuegos.

The recognition of eSports as a sports discipline was made through Bill 026 of 2024, which was approved by the Senate and is awaiting presidential sanction. This regulation allows the new discipline to be incorporated into the National Sports System.

"We have to implement this new law with great responsibility. Thanks to this new e-sports regulation, we will be able to have many young people practicing what today the International Olympic Committee has already recognized as a sport", expressed Ciro Solano Hurtado, President of the Colombian Olympic Committee.

Likewise, this legislation allows the creation of sports clubs, leagues, and eSports federations in the country. In addition, it opens the door to the sponsorship of cyber athletes with public resources, both for participation in competitions and for training programs.

"We have achieved an alliance for the development of eSport tournaments in Colombia. We hope to take our cyber-athletes to international championships to represent our country," noted José Aníbal Aguirre, CEO of GAT.

It is worth mentioning that, between January and March 2025, the games operated by the Internet have registered bets for more than $ 4.6 billion (USD 1.08 million), being sports events being the most preferred by bettors.