Marco Emilio Hincapié: “In 2026 we will continue to reduce illegality through technological tools and coordinated actions”

Marco Emilio Hincapié, President of Coljuegos, spoke exclusively with Yogonet and presented an assessment of Colombia’s gambling industry throughout 2025.

According to the executive, despite measures such as the VAT applied to online gambling to support the economic emergency in the Catatumbo region, the sector continues to be a key financial pillar for the country, having demonstrated that it has not only strengthened funding for healthcare but has also contributed to peace consolidation.

What assessment can you make of what 2025 represented for Coljuegos?

The year 2025 was one of consolidation for Coljuegos, with positive performance in both revenue growth and institutional modernisation. Total collections between January and October reached COP 868.365 billion (USD 227 million), while land-based games grew by 8.14%, reaching COP 313.614 billion (USD 82 million).

Beyond the figures, the year stood out for technological modernisation, driven by the migration to cloud-based systems that improved traceability, enabled advanced data analysis, and reduced administrative procedures and costs.

Additionally, progress was made in the reactivation of new games, such as Virtual Sports Racing Bets, and efforts to combat illegality were strengthened through hundreds of enforcement operations and the removal of more than 2,500 unauthorised elements from the market. Taken together, 2025 can be described as a year of solid growth and operational strengthening.

Which piece of news or event in the gambling industry do you consider the most important of the year that is coming to an end, and why?

The most important development is the introduction of Keno as the first game in Latin America to operate using blockchain technology. Its implementation is scheduled for February 2026 and it is projected to generate COP 480 billion in collections over five years, equivalent to more than USD 125 million.

This milestone stands out not only for its expected economic impact, but also for the technological leap it represents, as it introduces a real-time auditing system with immutable traceability, raising standards of transparency and trust across the industry.

Moreover, it positions Colombia as a pioneer in innovation within the sector, projecting an impact that goes beyond gambling itself and opening the door to new technological solutions in games of chance.

Has Coljuegos identified any reduction in operators’ collections following the application of VAT as of 2025?

Although the segment of internet-operated games generated COP 301.118 billion in collections between January and October 2025, the monopoly revenues associated with this modality did show a decline compared to the performance of recent years. However, this decrease does not negatively affect the sector’s overall balance, as it is more than offset by VAT revenues derived from the state of emergency decree, which reached COP 1.07 trillion between February 2022 and October 2025, equivalent to approximately USD 267.5 million.

When this VAT is added to the revenues from the overall set of games, which in 2024 amounted to COP 1.04 trillion (USD 272 million) in current income and which in 2025 remain at a similar level, the total contribution of the gambling industry in Colombia comfortably exceeds COP 2 trillion, around USD 523 million.

This demonstrates that, despite the specific reduction in monopoly revenue from internet-based games, the industry continues to be a key financial pillar, strengthening resources for healthcare and also contributing to peace consolidation through the funding of strategic social programmes for the country.

What expectations does Coljuegos have looking ahead to 2026?

Expectations for 2026 are positive and are marked by sustained growth and the introduction of new products. The start of Keno operations using blockchain technology will be a significant driver, both due to its revenue projections and the innovation it brings.

It is also expected that the new operation of raffles, from which at least COP 70 billion per year (USD 18.3 million) is projected to be collected, together with the reactivation of Virtual Sports Racing Bets—which already have eight approved licences—will begin to translate into higher revenues for the system in 2026.

In addition, there is an expectation of continuing to reduce illegality through technological tools and coordinated actions, following the more than 34,000 website blocks carried out in 2025.

Finally, all indications suggest that the segment of internet-operated games will continue to expand, supported by growth in active accounts and by the maturation of the technological systems implemented by Coljuegos during 2025.