Colombia Size of the Illegal Gambling Market
In Colombia illegal gaming accounts for an estimated 20 per cent of the industry and there are at least 70,00 illegal slot machines located throughout the country. A study carried out jointly by Colombia’s gaming control board (Coljuegos) and the National Federation of Merchants (Fenalco) revealed that at least 2,000 local businesses in Bogotá alone are operating illegal slot machines on their premises. Te study also looked into the types of businesses which were found to be housing illegal slot machines and discovered that 65 per cent were in shops, 12 per cent were in internet cafes, 10 per cent were made up of other small business, 5 per cent were in mini supermarkets and 3 per cent were in other small establishments such as bakeries and bars (the remaining 5 percent were undefined in the survey).
Current Measures in Place
Te government is taking an increasingly tough stance when it comes to illegal gaming. Te previous gaming control board, the Empresa Territorial para la Salud (ETESA), was replaced in 2012 after a number of high profile corruption scandals, and the new board is made up of members from a number of government ministries and its director is directly appointed by the President.
Coljuegos has a larger staff, a wider remit to enter and inspect casinos and technological advances at its disposal regarding the online monitoring of gaming operations. A high level of unawareness still persists amongst business owners when it comes to the penalties in place for illegal gaming and rules governing the industry however. Tose found to be breaking the law now face fines of up to $50m (around U.S$20,000) per illegal slot machine as well as
P54 NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE / MARKET DATA
six to eight years in prison. In 2016 Te Colombian Justice Department handed down its first prison sentences for those found to be breaking its gaming laws condemning the owners of fifteen slot illegal slot machines to four years in prison as well as a fine of $196.5m pesos (around US$66,500) each.
After the sentence was handed down Colombia’s Gaming Control Board issued a statement and warned the general public to refrain from taking part in illegal gaming.
Te board has also become increasingly active when it comes to cracking down on illegal gambling in order to raise more money for the health service and has launched a number of high profile public awareness campaigns aimed at curbing illegal gaming. Te last five years has also seen a major crackdown on illegal gaming with Coljuegos working closely alongside other government agencies such as the Colombian National Army and Technical Investigation Corps (CTI) of the Prosecutor's office as well as local police forces. More raids have been carried out this year. So far in 2018, Coljuegos has confiscated more than 1,000 slot machines during major operations carried out nationwide.
Outlook
Colombia Market Te government is gaining ground in its battle with illegal gambling with the signing of thirteen new pacts so far between Coljuegos and regional governments. Local lawmakers and members of the board have signed pacts for the “Legality of the Gambling Sector” a strategy with which Coljuegos aims to combat illegal gaming. Te pacts also aim to promote the “Playing Legal is Betting on Health” public awareness campaign.
Paraguay Size of the Illegal Gambling Market
Land-based casinos have been permitted in Paraguay since 1997. Although casinos have been permitted now for over twenty years the casino industry remains underdeveloped with little foreign investment in the industry and illegal gaming has remained rampant. Many slots are present in small businesses and bars while illegal sports betting shops have proliferated over recent years.
In October 2017 Javier Balbuena the previous head of Paraguay’s Gaming Board (CONAJZAR) told press that the board was struggling to cope with the number of illegal gambling halls classifying it as “a titanic struggle.”
Current Measures in Place
In 2015 the Executive branch of the Paraguayan government established new rules in order to reduce the rise of illegal gambling. Te new laws gave CONAJZAR more power when it comes to closing gaming halls and set a number of minimum requirements that gaming halls must meet in order to be provided with a licence. It also gave the body more power when it comes to regulation on a municipal and state level.
Despite a small budget and a small staff of around fifteen people the board has been able to make some, albeit extremely limited, inroads when it comes to combating illegal gaming. Tax revenue generated by the industry has increased over recent years made possible through the application of technology in controlling the operation of gaming, changing the way Quiniela has been taxed and the intensification of audits on gaming. In addition CONAJZAR has implemented a series of additional controls over gaming nationwide and also increased scrutiny over operators as part of a wider government
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92
