The gaming sector in Colombia contributed close to US $456.78 million last year equating to 0.2% of Colombia’s GDP

Minister Alberto Carrasquilla explained that thanks to Colombia’s gaming sector a transfer of US $170 million was made to the Health  sector and the Administrative Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (Colciencias) along with approximately 111,000 jobs created, according to the LAFT America 2020 Congress.

With the recent pandemic, Carrasquilla stressed on the effect this had on the gaming sector ‘The gaming sector in Colombia has been one of the most affected by the coronavirus pandemic”. (..) In the pandemic, the legislative decree was implemented in the context of the 808 emergency, which focused on relieving the pressures that were generated on gaming operators […]. The government provided relief to the fixed fee they must pay for their operation, and the postponement was made for six months, as well as the possibility of reducing the number of machines in operation,’ he followed.

Carrasquilla explained further that the government implemented emergency measures that addressed three areas primarily: the health sector emergency, the humanitarian crisis, and lastly the productive activity and employment. ‘

So far, more than US$ 7 billion have been made available from the budget, and another $40 billion US$ 10.747 billion in assumption of credit guarantees of various kinds, in a context of a sharp fall in tax revenues and implies an increase in the public debt and a fiscal challenge that we will face in the short term,’

He stated that Colombia has to keep preventing money laundering in situations of crisis, with the help of territorial entities contributing to the effort.

About SiGMA Europe – Malta

SiGMA Group has announced the postponement of its Europe summit, which was planned to be held in Malta on 17-19 November 2020. The show will now open its doors early next year in February, running from the 16-18th, making it the first event to headline the 2021 gaming calendar.