Colombia’s Government is evaluating a potential adjustment to the country’s gambling and games-of-chance tax as part of its fiscal response to the ongoing rain emergency, which has severely impacted several regions including Córdoba.
The proposal was discussed during a cabinet meeting, where Finance Minister Germán Ávila said the measure is being considered as a complementary tool to a proposed wealth tax on legal entities, rather than a standalone solution.
Ávila stated that the Government is assessing “the possibility of making an adjustment to the gambling and games-of-chance tax,” noting that similar mechanisms had been contemplated during a previous national emergency. He framed the move as one of several options under review.
The minister also referenced past emergency measures that accelerated revenue collection through Colombia’s tax authority, the DIAN, suggesting precedent could support renewed intervention.
Colombia’s gambling tax framework applies across digital betting platforms, land-based casinos, slot machines and bingo operations. Any structural modification would therefore affect licensed operators nationwide, although no specific rate changes or technical adjustments have been formally outlined.
The measure has not yet been introduced as legislation and remains under internal Government evaluation. President Gustavo Petro’s administration is simultaneously advancing a wealth tax proposal targeting financially solid corporate entities as part of its broader emergency funding strategy.
Gambling tax revenues in Colombia are primarily allocated to public health funding, raising the stakes of any structural reform
