Colombia to Boost Gaming with Video Bingo and Scratchcards

Suffering losses and amid falling revenue, Colombia’s gambling regulator, Coljuegos, has introduced video bingo and instant-win scratchcards as a way to bolster the industry, which is directly responsible for helping fund the country’s healthcare system.

Colombia Chooses to Introduce Additional Gaming Verticals to Boost Ailing Industry

Colombia gaming regulator, Coljuegos, has given the go-ahead to a new update that will see scratchcards and video bingo added to the existing offer of operators. The move is designed to help bolster the sector which has suffered from the shuttering of all gambling operations due to the COVID-19 outbreak in March.

In the updated guidelines, Coljuegos now allows instant-win scratchcards, both online and offline as well as bingo games that will be held between participants at physical bingo halls and online players who may join.

Lotteries will also be allowed to run a variety of promotions as well as offer additional rewards in a bid to boost interest and see patrons return. The main focus of the update, however, remains the instant-win segment, which will hopefully provide players with a bigger incentive to play.

Juan B. Pérez Hidalgo, Coljuegos’ executive, has said that the regulator is authorizing video bingo in the hopes of “reactivating” the local market. He talked about the broadcast feature that would allow players to connect whether they attend in person or play from home.

Hidalgo assured that measures have been taken to allow owners to restart various promotions and boost the market.

Adding More Awards to the Lottery Draw

As per the new rules, lotteries now can add two additional rewards to their prize pool, offering participants a better chance of turning a win. The regulator will also allow operators to create specific payment plans that would help them settle any outstanding money they owe on their own time throughout 2020.

The new update was also endorsed by several industry associations, including Fedelco, Asojuegos, Fecoljuegos and Cornazar. The National Gaming Council and local governments also backed the measure seeing it as a necessary way to move forward.

Gaming is an important vertical and contributor to Colombia’s healthcare system, which is funded with tax collected from all gambling operations. Asojuegos president, Juan Carlos Resterepo, explained the necessity to alter the current legal gambling framework precisely with the fact that gambling plays an important role in funding the national healthcare system.

Previously in April, live dealer casino games were introduced in yet another effort to boost gaming revenues.