Coljuegos initiates first-of-its-kind responsible gambling policy
Colombian RG initiative, Brazil requirements, Chile casinos +Más
Coljuegos plans first public policy on responsible gambling in the region.
In +Más: Brazil’s influencer ban proposal, Paraguay’s slots raid.
SoftSwiss’ three pillars of adaptation for the Brazilian gaming market.
Gross income from Chile’s 25 casinos hit ~$535m in 2023.
And you never have to face up to the night on your own.
Colombia’s RG policy
Head first: The president of Coljuegos, Marco Emilio Hincapié, has announced the regulator is designing Colombia’s public policy on responsible gambling – the first of its kind in Latin America – which will promote informed gambling decisions by bettors. He stated the policy’s objective was “to raise awareness about the possible negative effects of compulsive gambling and to implement measures such as betting limits, warning messages and self-exclusion tools.”
Hincapié assured that he had found “full willingness on the part of operators” in their efforts to protect consumers, especially the most vulnerable, such as young people and those with gambling addiction problems.
Coljuegos and the guilds hope to have the draft ready this year, which will have a significant focus on public health to emphasize prevention, education and treatment for those affected by the potential physical and mental negative consequences of gambling.
Once completed, the document must be approved by Congress.
Three cheers: According to Coljuegos’ commercial vice-president, Henry García González, the policy is based on three principles:
Protecting the community from the negative consequences of uncontrolled gambling impulses and promoting its development as an activity for healthy recreation and entertainment.
Providing reliable information about the sector for informed and responsible decision-making regarding gambling.
Providing players with tools to prevent excessive gambling and protect themselves and their environment.
Hincapié noted that, currently, there are only 15 companies authorized to operate in the betting market in Colombia.
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+Más
Brazil: The Senate Sports Commission (CEsp) plans to prohibit the participation of celebrities and influencers in betting advertising during sporting events. The initiative’s author, Senator Eduardo Girão, said he wants to protect citizens from possible emotional or financial harm associated with betting.
Peru: Mincetur has accredited Asensi Technologies and eCogra as certification laboratories and authorized their operation in the country.
Paraguay: Conajzar has conducted checks in the city of Luque to ensure compliance with the new slot machine law; closing premises that were operating without authorization and confiscating “more than 50 machines,” according to its operations chief Bladimir Arce.
Bolivia: Following an anonymous tip-off, Bolivia’s Gaming Control Authority arrested the organizer of an illegal poker house in Tiquipaya in Cochabamba province. This follows the seizure of nine illegally operated machines in La Paz last week.
Careers+More
Yuri Guerra will temporarily assume the role of head of Peru’s General Directorate of Casinos and Slot Machines, replacing Eduardo Sevilla who is leaving the position after two years. Guerra previously served as director of control and sanction at the body.
Sevilla’s departure comes as sports-betting companies are applying for authorization to enter the Peruvian market; the deadline for which is March 13.
Brazil requirements
As easy as… SoftSwiss’ regional business development director, Carla Dualib, has declared companies closely following the development of the Brazilian market must adapt according to regulations and public preferences, but always considering three key pillars: data security, payment security and mobile flexibility.
… One: Regarding the first pillar, the executive cited Forbes magazine, saying Brazil is the second-most vulnerable country to cyberattacks and, although the government is implementing a series of processes and mechanisms to address this problem, companies must participate in its development by contributing their own experience.
… Two: On payment security, she highlighted Globo’s survey, according to which the two determining factors for choosing a payment system in Brazil are speed and trust.
In addition to the financial system, there are four payment platforms in Brazil. Companies must be able to offer these options, for which they must be very careful with the gaming software they make available to their clients and the providers of said software.
… Three: Regarding mobile flexibility, Dualib explained there were two intertwined factors to consider: the high penetration of cell phones in Brazil and the use of mobile devices in urban areas by people with long commuting times between their homes and workplaces.
In that space, she said, there is an opportunity for gaming companies to not only concentrate the offer on online games through websites, but also to offer applications that users can download to their phones and play from them.
For Dualib, this gaming model provides players with greater peace of mind than if they were playing in a browser on their phone.
Chile casino revenue
On the up: Chile’s Gaming Casinos Superintendency (SCJ) has reported that the 25 gaming casinos operating in the country recorded GGR of CLP514bn (~$535m) in 2023, up 9.1% from 2022. The casinos’ tax contribution reached CLP196bn, up 4.5% from the previous year.
In the past year 7.1 million people visited Chile’s casinos, up 12% YoY, each spending an average of CLP76,042, which is down 12%.
The tax revenue is distributed as follows: CLP84bn, corresponding to the specific gambling tax, goes to regional governments and municipalities to finance development projects.
While CLP82bn, associated with VAT on gambling revenue, and CLP30bn, corresponding to the tax on entry to gaming rooms, are allocated to the nation’s general funds.
Calendar
Mar 4: Gaming Insights Rio
Mar 5-7: SBC Summit Rio
Publishing schedule
This is the English version of the LosIngresos+Mas newsletter published yesterday (21 February).
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