The Consejo Nacional de Juegos de Suerte y Azar (CNJSA) has officially approved a landmark agreement that mandates strict responsible gambling practices for all online operators in Colombia.
Applicable to providers of lotteries, permanent bets, and the popular RASPA&LISTO products, the agreement aims to foster a “culture of self-care and prevention” across the nation’s digital gaming landscape.
Empowering Players with Self-Exclusion
A primary feature of the new regulation is the introduction of a mandatory self-diagnosis test that allows users to assess their risk level for problematic play. Additionally, the CNJSA has formalized a voluntary self-exclusion mechanism. Operators must now provide easily accessible forms on their websites and in retail locations. Key details include:
- A minimum self-exclusion period of 30 days.
- Automatic 30-day renewals if a gambler does not manually revoke the request.
- A total ban on any purchase or gambling transactions through the operator’s platform during the exclusion period.
Comprehensive Corporate Policies
Operators are now required to appoint a qualified representative to oversee a Responsible Gambling Policy tailored to three distinct groups: healthy players, at-risk users, and non-gamblers. These firms must submit semiannual effectiveness reports to the CNJSA Technical Secretariat regulator, detailing quantitative data such as the total number of self-excluded players.
The agreement also introduces tougher protections for minors, mandating clear warnings in all promotional materials about the prohibition of youth participation.
The Technical Secretariat now holds the power to conduct audits and request information to ensure that all data processing remains in compliance with Colombia’s Law 1581 of 2012. This agreement will take full effect upon its official publication in the Gazette of Colombia.
