In the first half of 2021, the finance industry saw a significant growth in online gaming sales, experiencing a 99.3% year-on-year increase compared to the same period in 2020. Sales reached COP$19.38tn, surpassing the previous year’s figures of COP$9.77tn. This remarkable growth trend continued into the second half of the year, giving the sector a strong presence in the market.
The President of Coljuegos, César Augusto Valencia Galiano, acknowledged the challenges faced by the industry due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite these obstacles, close cooperation with industry guilds and operators aided in the economic recovery and reactivation of the sector.
Notably, sports betting experienced a decline during the past year due to event cancellations. However, this was offset by the increasing popularity of random number generator (RNG) games, which gained significant market share. The cancellation of sporting events at a national and international level led online game enthusiasts to migrate to RNG games, resulting in a considerable rise in their participation.
In its efforts to combat illegal gambling, Coljuegos conducted raids on seven establishments engaged in unauthorized operations.
