Gambling has been legal in Colombia since 1991 and online gambling since 2001. However, the government has specifically legalized it in 2016 through the eGaming Act it adopted in October. The first gambling license was issued in 2015 to a reputable operator.
An interesting fact about Colombia is that it legalized blood sports like cockfighting and bullfighting, but it doesn’t allow people to bet on them. So, if you’re a tourist, you should know that you’re allowed to take part in blood sports events, but you shouldn’t bet on the outcome of any fight. However, both residents and tourists can play casino games online and offline.
The Coljuegos control all internet gambling activities, and all licensing fees are available only in Spanish, so expect all online websites to include this language feature. Considering that most casino operators address the worldwide public, they may also have the English language feature. Casino operators have to obtain a license from Coljuegos to provide Juegos de Casino en línea to the Colombian public. At the moment, there are also a couple of land-based casinos in the country, most of them located in Medellin or Bogota.
If you’re travelling to Colombia for a holiday and you’re passionate about gambling, you may want to know what games you can find in an online casino. Let’s check the list.
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Slots
Slots occupy a large portion of iGaming platforms in Colombia because it’s the most straightforward game to play. The demand for slots in Colombia is unprecedented, mainly because they can be played both online and offline and are affordable and straightforward to play. Plus, most slot games are created based on exciting themes like Dracula, Egyptian Gods, and movies, have great sound effects, unreal animations, and the power to engage the player. And we should not forget to mention that slots are also people’s favorites because they offer the possibility to win a great jackpot. Katrina Bookman won $43 million on the Sphinx slot machine in New York in 2016. However, she didn’t get the money yet because the casino stated that the machine featured a malfunction and that the maximum jackpot on it should have been $6500. The case is still going on court, and everyone waits to see it concluded. However, this wasn’t the case for a software engineer who won $39 million in a Las Vegas casino, and took the money home.
Poker
The Colombians who want to play a casino game that requires commitment, focus, and strategy, find poker the ideal choice because it can become a highly competitive game. Most Colombian gamblers who play poker on online websites want to build a career in poker and earn cash to boost their income. Some are so good they attend official tournaments and want to become bracelet winners.
The online casinos in Colombia that have poker games can offer them the possibility to improve their skills because they also provide live poker that allows the gamblers to indulge in games as if they’d be in a real land-based casino. When Colombians play live dealer poker, they can see the dealer and engage in conversations with the other players, they can also see them on the screen. Poker provides the players with an immersive experience. Colombians can choose from multiple versions of poker, but the most popular ones are 5-card draw, Texas hold’em, and pineapple.
Roulette
For someone who never played roulette before, the game may seem complicated, especially when it comes to playing it online. However, Colombians seem determined to learn the best strategies needed to play this game because they find it quite interesting. The wheel is the centrepiece in the game, and the players must keep an eye on it to see if the ball lands on the numbers they pick. Each turnaround of the game is captivating and makes the players even more eager to see the result.
Colombians who play roulette online can choose from a wide range of roulette games because most casinos include all forms in their collections to appeal to a broad audience. Gamblers in Colombia can choose from:
– Live roulette
– Multi wheel roulette
– Mini roulette
– French roulette
– American roulette
– European roulette
Blackjack
Statistics show that blackjack is a popular game worldwide, and Colombia makes no exception. Since the legalisation of online websites, Colombians have started to engage in online gambling more and more, and it’s easy to spot the games they like the most. Blackjack is one of the casino games that is rising progressively in popularity in Colombia, especially because online websites offer multiple benefits and bonuses to the gamblers who play it. The wide variety of blackjack variations is one of the reasons Colombian casino players choose it because it allows them to diversify their activities. Blackjack is also a game that requires a set of games and offers great payouts, so it’s no surprise that people love it. And we should not forget to mention that the game is one of the most entertaining online and offline because it offers some of the most appealing prizes.
Baccarat
Colombians have always liked to play baccarat, especially in land-based venues. But with the legalisation of online casinos, they discovered that online baccarat is as enjoyable as a live one, and some of them are playing both versions now. Baccarat is a popular game worldwide because it doesn’t require great skill but only some mild planning. The game implies comparing the card from the player’s hand with the one from the banker’s hand. At the moment, it’s the fifth most popular game worldwide and accessible through all online casinos in Colombia. Similar to slots, this game’s success depends on the players’ luck, and they need to learn a couple of strategies to boost their chances of success.
Final thoughts
Above is the list of the most popular games Colombians play in online casinos. It doesn’t matter if you’re a resident or tourist if you’re passionate about gambling, you should try them.