Legislators are racing to dispute the propositions, with the federal government dealing with a 16 December due date for approval.
Colombia’s federal government and Congress have actually begun technical talks on a tax costs that would use 19% VAT to online betting deposits.
The working groups started on 10 November. The groups were concurred in between the federal government and members of Congress’s financial committees, at a conference in Barranquilla on 7 November.
The talks cover Bill 477/2026Ccalled the Economic Rescue Bill. Financing Minister Miguel Gómez Martínez sent it to the Chamber of Representatives on 29 October.
The expense intends to stabilise public financial resources through costs cuts and brand-new taxes. It has actually been submitted flagged as immediate, so the financial committees of both chambers will discuss it together.
On 10 November, the Senate committees called their rapporteurs for the very first argument. They are Conservative senator David Barguil on the Third Committee and Carlos Mario Farelo of Cambio Radical on the Fourth.
The joint committees are anticipated to dispute the costs in the recently of November. The federal government has till 16 December to protect approval in the present session.
What the expense suggests for betting
Short article 41 would get rid of the VAT exemption for video games run just online and use the basic 19% rate.
The taxable base would be the gamer’s deposit, consisting of money, bank transfers and cryptoassets, divided by 1.19. That suggests a COP119,000 ($35.98) deposit would consist of COP19,000 in VAT.
Operators would be responsible for the tax– even if they are based abroad–, when gamers are tax homeowners, domiciled or doing company in Colombia.
The exact same post would double the month-to-month taxable bases for land-based gaming. Slots would increase from 20 to 40 tax worth systems (UVT), video gaming tables from 290 to 580 UVT and bingo from 3 to 6 UVT per seat. Lottery games would remain exempt.
Short article 52 would raise the periodic gains tax on rewards from lottery games, raffles and wagering from 20% to 30%.
The Colombian Federation of Gambling Entrepreneurs (Fecoljuegos) is preparing an alternative tax proposition for the Ministry of Finance and Congress. It represents producers, providers and operators of gambling establishments, bingo halls and online platforms. Its members consist of Betsson Group, Codere, Wplay and Betano.
Federation president Evert Montero stated the market wanted to assist.
“We comprehend the requirement to add to the stability of public financial resources and stay ready to contribute,” Montero informed La FM
“Online and land-based video games have various structures, however both face responsibilities and expenses that should be identified.”
He included: “Protecting financial investment and work likewise indicates safeguarding a source of financing for health.”
Colombia initially used 19% VAT to online betting deposits by emergency situation decree in February 2025. The tax ended at the end of that year after a Senate committee turned down a costs to make it irreversible.
Decree 1474 of December 2025 reapplied the 19% VAT on gross video gaming profits (GGR) for 2026. The Constitutional Court suspended it in January and struck it down in April 2026.
A different 16% usage tax on online GGR, presented by emergency situation decree in March, stays in force till 31 December 2026. It is waiting for a court judgment.
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