Coljuegos, the Colombian Gambling Authority, held a meeting with the mayors of Risaralda to discuss the latest developments and initiatives in the fight against illegal gambling.
During the meeting, Coljuegos explained the role of a regulator in the gambling space, as well as the current laws that apply across Colombia.
Luis Alfredo Escobar, Coljuegos VP of Operations, said: "Our objective is to strengthen collaboration between all entities to continue training and guiding the fight against illegality in the department of Risaralda. All authorities are committed to protecting health resources.
"We must highlight the efforts of the department of Risaralda to combat illegality. We invite the authorities to continue working together to fight against unauthorized gambling that takes resources away from the neediest citizens."
The meeting was also critical to explain to local politicians the ways in which criminals are exploiting gambling systems for financial gain.
These include running illegal operations and money laundering through false companies.
Bibiana Garcés, Risaralda Lottery Manager, said: "We also discussed issues of everything we have been working on from Risaralda for the legality of games of luck and chance.
“We also discussed the challenges that lie ahead and that we must take seriously to protect public money that goes specifically to the health of all Colombians.”
As part of this initiative, members from Coljuegos plan to travel to different parts of the country to continue giving talks to local politicians to help combat the black market.
This is alongside another push from Coljuegos to work closer with financial institutions to overcome operational barriers within the system.
The region of Risaralda is well known for its high-quality coffee
