Yopal, Colombia Receives Gaming Authority Visit
In Colombia, the gaming authority Coljuegos has announced a special visit planned to the city of Yopal. Yoga, the capital city of the department Casanare, is unique because it operates games for several nearby departments, despite its small size. Betting in Bolívar, Arauca, Casanare, Guaviare, Guainía and San Andrés all operate via Yopal. The visit will be conducted by the National Council of Games of Luck and Chance (CNJSA), and is planned in order to offer support and ensure commitment to regulations.
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Yopal, an important stronghold for games of chance
In Yopal, located in north-central Colombia near Bogatá, the Orinoquia and Caribbean Services Network operates its headquarters. This group is the official operator of gaming for local Casanare as well as the five other previously mentioned Colombian departments. This came to be because each area is fairly small and not densely populated, which means business has not been enough to warrant opening their own operations.
Despite the small size of these regions, Yopal’s office turns over a significant sum of tax revenue to the state, which is in turn divided up for various projects in those territories. For example, they have received nearly $1 million USD for health services as a result of gaming business, according to Constanza Bejarano, interim manager CNJSA.
Bejarano is also the one who reported that CNJSA’s Technical Secretariat will visit Yopal in person soon. CNJSA, which is a member of Coljuegos, is also privy to information about earnings reported in these territories and stated that of all six involved in Yopal, Bolívar contributes the highest amount of bets, 75% of the total.
The total amount added up to the equivalent of nearly $8 million USD up until April 2023, with Bolívar’s contribution amounting to nearly $6 million USD. San Andrés contributed the second-highest amount of nearly $1 million USD. Casanare’s contribution was a little over $500,000 USD. Arauca contributed nearly $300,000 USD. Guaviare ranked next with almost $200,000 USD, and Guainía was last with only $27,000 USD.
When it came to the popular “Scratch and go” ticket game, created in 2021, Bolívar was also the department with the highest sales figures. This game alone amounted to about $2 million USD total for all six departments, and $1.4 million USD for Bolívar.
This total amount has apparently increased by 5% since last year, something Bejarano was enthusiastic about. He also explained that the total amount is even more impressive given that no lotteries operate in the six territories, so collections are only based on games of chance but are still significant.
The reason for this “surveillance visit”
CNJSA’s visit is called a surveillance visit because it is, in part, in order to ensure the operator is abiding by regulations. More specifically, they want to make sure the Orinoquia and Caribbean Services Network complies with Decree 1068 of 2015, Law 643 of 2001, and all agreements from CNJSA regarding the management of games in Colombia.
Apparently, such visits are fairly routine and this one has been delayed. It is a necessary procedure for checking in on operators working throughout Colombia. This particular operator manages a total of 3,609 interface points for their clients.
The visit is also part of general outreach CNJSA offers to their operators and a way of offering support, if needed. As a part of the visit, they will help with ways of making operations more efficient in regard to permanent bets. They also provide marketing support, like new product proposals that can be used to generate more income in the future, while also abiding responsible gaming standards.
Coljuegos is strong on persecuting illegal gaming, like it has done with unauthorized slot machines. It also works to ensure the investigation and prosecution of money laundering.
