Colombia's online gambling crackdown sees 250,000 self-exclusions in two years
Colombia has seen a sharp rise in self-exclusions from online gambling since full regulation began in 2024. By early 2026, around 250,000 people had signed up to block themselves from betting sites. The national gambling regulator, Coljuegos, has worked closely with operators to push responsible play and reduce harm.
In 2024, Colombia introduced a complete legal framework for online gambling. Since then, Coljuegos has licensed and overseen 12 operators, with 14 companies now active in the market. All of these firms now feature self-exclusion tools on their websites, allowing users to voluntarily ban themselves from gambling.
To raise awareness, Coljuegos launched the 'Take Control, Play It Safe' campaign. The initiative highlighted the risks of gambling and encouraged safer habits. This effort, combined with operator cooperation, contributed to the high number of self-exclusions recorded.
Data from 2024 and 2025 showed clear regional and demographic trends. Antioquia led with 21.39% of registrations, followed by Bogotá at 19.07%. Men made up the vast majority of cases, accounting for 81% of self-exclusions, while women represented 19%.
The surge in self-exclusions reflects both the expansion of legal gambling and the impact of public awareness campaigns. With 250,000 Colombians opting out, the system now provides a direct way for players to limit their access. Regulators and operators continue to monitor the effects of these measures on gambling behaviour.
