The land-based gaming industry in Colombia remains closed due to restrictions imposed throughout the country.
In 2020, casinos and gaming halls across Colombia were closed for a significant period and were only allowed to reopen with approval from local authorities.
Medellín was the first city in Colombia to reopen its casinos in September, after meeting specific criteria such as a low infection fatality rate and lower number of deaths per capita compared to other municipalities.
Local authorities could authorize casino openings if they followed safety protocols mandated by Colombia’s Ministry of Health, including the use of physical barriers between gaming machines, a ban on selling food and alcoholic drinks, and regular disinfection of machines.
On 31 December, the government reintroduced stricter lockdown measures, including a ban on alcohol sales and restrictions on gatherings in public spaces in Bogotá, the nation’s capital.
From 5 January to 17 January, a complete restriction of all activities was imposed between 8:00PM and 5:00AM in Bogotá, with weekend alcohol sales prohibited and only one person from each household allowed to leave home for essential purchases.
Bogotá and other regions are expected to remain under lockdown measures until at least 28 January, with only a limited set of permitted activities.
In certain areas, such as Santa Marta, curfew restrictions may continue until at least 1 March.
In some regions, permitted activities are based on the last digit of each citizen’s ID card number, with specific days assigned for different groups of people.
For example, between 8 and 16 January, residents in the Santander region could only leave their homes on Monday if their ID card number ended in 5 or 6, while other ID card number endings had designated days of the week for outings.
