Responsible gambling in Colombia: limits, tools and support.

Q: What is responsible gambling?

Responsible gambling ( juego responsable ) is gambling within set time and money limits, so it doesn't harm you or others. In Colombia, Coljuegos requires licensed operators to run responsible gambling programmes built on prevention, self-care and support.

Q: Where can I get help for a gambling problem in Colombia?

Call 123 in an emergency. Línea 192 , option 4, is the national mental health line. In Bogotá, Línea 106 offers listening, psychosocial support and crisis help 24/7, by phone or WhatsApp on 300 754 8933 .

Coljuegos requires every licensed online operator in Colombia to offer deposit limits, self-exclusion and links to support services. This page walks through the tools, how self-exclusion works and where to get help.

Need help now?

Immediate danger – call 123. All lines free

Contact details verified

November 13, 2026

Emergency

123

Nationwide · 24/7

Mental health (MinSalud)

192 · option 4

Nationwide

Bogotá crisis line

106

Bogotá · 24/7 · WhatsApp 300 754 8933

Coljuegos support & test

Toma el control

tomaelcontrol.coljuegos.gov.co →

What harm looks like

Understanding gambling harm

Gambling harm is anything that damages finances, mood, relationships, work or health. People experience harm long before anyone would call it an addiction.

The World Health Organization lists the following as potential harms from gambling: financial stress, relationship breakdown, family violence, mental illness and suicide. Harm often extends to family, friends and colleagues of the person gambling.

Treat gambling as a paid leisure activity. It is never a way to earn money or fix financial problems.

1.2%

Of adults worldwide have a gambling disorder, according to WHO estimates. Harm extends to family, friends and colleagues.

83%

Minimum share of stakes Colombian rules require operators to return to players as prize money. The house keeps the rest – over the long run, the odds favour the operator.

All

Gamblers can experience harm regardless of age, income or background. See our guide to gambling addiction in Colombia.

Spotting it early

Warning signs and self-assessment

The clearest warning sign is gambling that grows while control over it shrinks. Common indicators:

You spend more money or time than you planned.
You bet again to win back what you lost.
You hide your gambling or lie about how much you spend.
You borrow money, or sell things, to gamble or cover losses.
You feel anxious, irritable or low when you cannot gamble.
You neglect work, study, family or sleep because of gambling.

A quick self-check

Answer yes or no, for the last 12 months.

If you answered yes to one or more, it’s worth looking at your gambling more closely. This is not a diagnosis – talking to someone you trust, using the tools below, or contacting a support group can help.

Have you bet more than you could afford to lose?
Have you needed to bet larger amounts to feel the same excitement?
Have you gone back another day to win back money you lost?
Have you borrowed money to gamble or to pay gambling debts?
Have you felt that you might have a problem with gambling?
Has gambling caused you money problems, or problems at home or at work?
Have people close to you criticised your gambling?

Official screening tool

The Coljuegos risk-factor test

The Test de identificación de factores de riesgo on Toma el control offers a fuller check. It’s built on two recognised screens – SOGS (South Oaks Gambling Screen) and BPGS (Brief Problem Gambling Screen). All licensed operators must give players access to it.

Tests taken

2,909

By Feb 2026 (Coljuegos)

Tools you can use

Safer gambling tools explained

These tools cap spending and playing time. They reduce risk; they don’t remove it.

Tool	What it does	Where to find it	Required in Colombia?
Deposit limit	Caps how much you can add to your account per day, week or month.	Set at registration; adjustable in your account page.	Yes. Daily, weekly & monthly required.
Bet or session limit	Caps the size of bets or the length of a session.	Account settings.	Yes.
Reality check	Displays how long you have been playing.	On-screen during play.	Yes. Elapsed time must be shown on-screen at all times.
Time-out	Pauses your account for a short period.	Responsible gambling page.	Offered as a short self-exclusion period.
Self-exclusion	Blocks you from one game type or the entire site.	A link on the operator’s website.	Yes.
Account closure	Closes your account.	Customer support or account settings.	No. Closure is different from self-exclusion.

72h

The 72-hour cooling-off rule

The operator must act as soon as a player lowers a limit. Raising a limit only takes effect after 72 hours – and the operator must ask you to confirm the decision, giving you time to reconsider.

Operator duties

What licensed operators must offer

Under Acuerdo 08 de 2020 and Resolución 20244000022654, every licensed online operator in Colombia must do the following. Operators breaking these rules face fines under their concession contracts.

Ask you to set daily, weekly and monthly deposit limits at registration.

Show a session clock and a permanent responsible gambling message on the game screen.

Offer a self-exclusion process from a visible, easy-to-reach place on the site.

Give you access to the official Coljuegos risk test.

Link from its home page to the Coljuegos responsible gambling site.

Give you the Coljuegos directory of mental health services and health insurers (EPS).

Publish its own responsible gambling programme on its website.

Never lend you money or offer credit to gamble.

Taking a break

Self-exclusion in Colombia

Tests taken

2,909

By Feb 2026 (Coljuegos)

Self-exclusion is a voluntary request to block yourself from gambling with an operator for a period of time. Licensed online operators in Colombia must offer it. The rules sit in Resolución 20244000022654, art. 10.2.2:

Who can request

Any registered player.

What it covers

The whole platform, or one or more game types, as you choose.

How long it lasts

You pick the period from preset options in days, weeks or months.

During the period

The operator must stop you from accessing the platform or excluded games.

Ending it early

You can cancel anytime, but the cancellation only takes effect 72 hours later.

When it ends

Your account reopens automatically at the end of the period you chose.

Important: There is no single national register. Each online operator keeps its own list of self-excluded players. A request on one site does not block you on another, so you need to self-exclude on each site where you hold an account. Self-exclusion also does not cover physical casinos or betting shops.

How to request it

Find the self-exclusion link. Operators must place it somewhere visible.

Choose what to exclude: the whole site or specific games.

Pick the period and submit the form.

Repeat at every other site where you have an account

What to do if an operator doesn’t respect your request

Start by making a complaint to the operator. Licensed operators must have customer support open 24/7. Take screenshots where possible. If it isn’t resolved, contact Coljuegos through the PQRSD system.

Coljuegos national free line

01 8000 18 28 88

Coljuegos email

[email protected]

Support

Get help in Colombia

Players in immediate danger: call 123. The free services below offer support for gambling or mental health. All contact details verified 11 November 2026.

Service	What it offers	Contact	Coverage
Línea 123	Emergency line handling mental-health emergencies.	Call 123	National emergency
Línea 192, opción 4 (Ministerio de Salud)	Mental health support over the phone. Emergency services can be activated if needed.	Call 192, then option 4	National
Línea 106 “El poder de ser escuchado” · Secretaría Distrital de Salud	24/7 psychological support and crisis help.	Call 106 · WhatsApp 300 754 8933	Yes. Elapsed time must be shown on-screen at all times.
Coljuegos directory Toma el control	List of foundations and health providers for gambling-related support.	tomaelcontrol.coljuegos.gov.co	National
Your EPS	Access to mental-health assessment and treatment through your health insurer.	The phone line or app of your EPS.	National

Under-age protection

Protecting minors

The minimum gambling age in Colombia is 18, and operators are banned from offering or selling games of chance to minors. Licensed operators must verify your age and identity before you can play.

Accepted IDs: cédula de ciudadanía, cédula de extranjería, or the PPT or PEP permits for Venezuelan migrants. Gambling advertising cannot target or feature minors.

For parents and guardians:

Turn on parental controls on phones, tablets and app stores.
Don’t save bank cards or digital wallet details on shared devices.
Check bank and wallet statements for payments to betting sites.
Keep your own betting accounts and passwords private.
Talk with young people about how betting works and why the odds favour the operator. Keep the tone calm and open.

When it’s someone close

Supporting someone else

Change has to come from the person gambling. What you do still matters. Stay calm, stay connected, and start conversations carefully.

Do this

Choose a private, calm moment when neither of you is rushed or upset.

Describe what you have seen, with examples. “I noticed rent was late twice this month” works better than a label.

Say how it affects you. Avoid blame.

Listen to their answers. Ask what would help.

Share the self-check and help services on this page.

Avoid this

Ultimatums you are not ready to keep.

Paying off gambling debts with no agreed conditions.

Giving them cash, cards, passwords or access to shared accounts.

Protect yourself

Separate your income into an account only you control.

Ask your bank about alerts and limits on shared cards.

Keep copies of important financial documents.

Money matters

Gambling and money

Money you gamble is the price of entertainment – funds you’ve already accepted you will lose. Never use money needed for food, bills, rent or mortgage payments.

Setting a budget

Decide a monthly amount you can lose without any effect on essentials.
Keep gambling money in a separate account or wallet from your living money.
Set your deposit limits to match that amount.
Stop when the budget is gone. Don’t top up in the same session.

Signs of financial strain

You use credit cards, loans or overdrafts to gamble.
You miss or delay bills because of gambling.
You borrow from family or friends to cover losses.

Licensed operators in Colombia cannot lend money or give credit. They must process withdrawals within 72 hours for verified users. Taxes on prizes are withheld on withdrawal — tax rules on online gambling are currently under review in Congress.

All banks under the Superintendencia Financiera must give you access to a Defensor del Consumidor Financiero, which can be used to make complaints against banks.

Our approach

How we cover gambling responsibly

Some NEXT LATAM pages feature affiliate links. Commercial partnerships never determine ratings or opinions on operators. See our editorial guidelines and commercial disclosure.

Our pages are written with adults in mind. Our commitments:

We call an operator licensed only if it appears on the official Coljuegos register on the day we write.
Our content is for people aged 18 and over. We do not create content aimed at minors.
We do not publish “tricks”, “winning strategies” or guaranteed outcomes.
We never present gambling as a source of income or a way to solve money problems.

Vocabulary

Glossary of responsible gambling terms

Useful when reading operator T&Cs or Coljuegos documents in Spanish.

English	Spanish	Meaning
Age verification	verificación de edad	Checks an operator runs to confirm you are 18 or over.
Chasing losses	perseguir pérdidas	Betting again to win back money you lost.
Deposit limits	límite de depósito	The most you can add to your account per day, week or month.
Gambling harm	daño asociado al juego	Damage gambling causes to money, health, relationships or work.
Gambling disorder	ludopatía	A recognised health condition marked by loss of control over gambling.
Loss limit	límite de pérdidas	The most you can lose in a set period.
Problem gambling	juego problemático	Gambling that causes harm, whether or not it is diagnosed.
Reality check	aviso de tiempo de sesión	An on-screen display of how long you have been playing.
Responsible gambling	juego responsable	Gambling within limits of time and money you set.
Self-exclusion	autoexclusión	A voluntary block on gambling with an operator for a set period.
Time limit	límite de tiempo	The longest a single session can last.
Time-out	pausa temporal	A short, fixed break from your account.

Common questions

Frequently asked questions

What is responsible gambling?

Responsible gambling (juego responsable) is gambling within set time and money limits, so it doesn’t harm you or others. In Colombia, Coljuegos requires licensed operators to run responsible gambling programmes built on prevention, self-care and support.

How do I self-exclude from betting in Colombia?

Log in to each site where you have an account, open the self-exclusion link, and choose the games and the period. The period is a preset in days, weeks or months. You can cancel at any time, but the cancellation only takes effect 72 hours later.

Where can I get help for a gambling problem in Colombia?

Call 123 in an emergency. Línea 192, option 4, is the national mental health line. In Bogotá, Línea 106 offers listening, psychosocial support and crisis help 24/7, by phone or WhatsApp on 300 754 8933.

How do I set deposit limits at an authorised site?

The operator must ask you to set daily, weekly and monthly deposit limits at registration. A reduction applies immediately. An increase only applies after at least 72 hours, and the operator must ask you to confirm it again.

How can I help someone close to me who gambles too much?

Pick a calm, private moment. Describe what you have noticed, without blame, and listen. Don’t give them cash, cards or passwords, and protect any shared money.

Sources

Resource list