Insight
LATAM ONLINE Colombia & Mexico
Colombia Mexico
Colombia was the first country to pass a comprehensive online gambling law. Since passing the law in 2016, the Colombian gaming regulator, Coljuegos, has now granted 17 online gaming licences. Both local and foreign companies currently offer their services online to Colombians, while the land-based sector will also see an expansion in this growing gaming space
Te market has shown rapid growth reflecting the potential of a well regulated market in other jurisdictions and there are now over 1.9 million online registered players nationwide. In February 2019, Coljuegos reported a record collection of revenue from online gaming licensing and exploitation rights during 2018.
Operator rights for online gambling reached over $37bn (US$11.8m), as reported by the President of the organisation, Juan B. Pérez Hidalgo. Going hand-in-hand with licensing, the government has also cracked down on illegal online and land-based gambling leading to a much more strictly regulated market and a more even playing field for licensed operators.
In 2018, the board seized 2,813 illegal slot machines as well as a large haul of other illegal gambling equipment. It also blocked, with the help of other government bodies, as many as 2,616 unauthorised online betting sites and signed a number of pacts with regional governments in order to clampdown further and coordinate efforts on a national level.
According to new regulations, operators granted a licence must adhere to a number of strict obligations and meet the technical requirements as per the terms granted to it by the state. Meanwhile, Coljuegos, with the help of the National Police, has continued to manage the blocking of unauthorised web pages strengthening the sector even further.
In 2018 the board seized 2,813 illegal slot machines as well as a large haul of other illegal gambling equipment. It also blocked, with the help of other government bodies, as many as 2,616 unauthorised online betting sites and signed a number of pacts with regional governments in order to clampdown further.
P38 NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE / MARKET DATA
Online gaming has been permitted via special license in Mexico since 2000, but only land-based operators have been allowed to offer their services locally. As land- based operators may offer online services via a licence granted to them by the Interior Ministry (SEGOB), a number of foreign operators have signed agreements with local operators
Online gambling via licensed sites in Mexico currently accounts for a small proportion of casino revenue. Currently, the online operations generate minimal income for the land-based gaming and betting companies.
Overall, the gaming market is dominated by casinos, where slots account for 80 per cent of revenue, 15 per cent is generated by games such as bingo and table games, while online gaming is estimated to contribute just five per cent.
Offshore operators continue to target the market operating in a grey area as there are no specific rules in place on a federal level when it comes to online gambling.
According to the Mexican Gaming Association (AIEJA) the online gaming sector is up to three or five times bigger than the land-based sector, but the vast majority of the online market comes from offshore operators.
According to some reports the online sports betting market could be growing by as much as 50 per cent per year. According to a report
commissioned by local operator, Caliente, the value of the online betting business in Mexico could be worth as much as US$2bn. Of this, however, 90 per cent of the US$1,800m is generated via illegal sites.
A new gaming law which would replace Mexico’s Raffles and Gambling Act, and which covered online gambling, was passed in the Chamber of Deputies in December 2014. However, it looks increasingly less likely that the law will be enacted as it has been stalled in the Senate for years.
Online gambling regulation could well come under the scope of new rules and regulations now being considered by senators belonging to the left wing party the National Regeneration Movement (MORENA).
Lawmakers have put forward an initiative to increase taxes on gambling and change online gambling rules. Te new law also seeks to give the central government more say when it comes to establishing tax rates over the industry.
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