United Nations and Coljuegos: key allies for ethical iGaming
Coljuegos, the Colombian gaming regulator, is implementing strong measures to prevent money laundering and terrorism financing in the sector. This effort is part of an agreement signed in 2024 with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Accordingly, its main objective is to ensure greater transparency and protect the resources generated by this industry, which, in Colombia, subsidises the health system.
The UNODC presented a series of strategies that Coljuegos must adopt to prevent criminal behaviour and implement the Risk Management System for Money Laundering, Terrorism Financing, and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (SARLAFT). Marco Emilio Hincapié, president of Coljuegos, stated: “We are working with the United Nations to identify and prevent risks. Our goal is to combat corruption in the sector. Therefore, we have also signed legality agreements with various entities, such as the Financial Information and Analysis Unit (UIAF), to ensure transparency in the resources we transfer for health.“
This agreement reinforces Coljuegos’ commitment to legality and its role as a guarantor of a sector free of illicit activities. Implementing SARLAFT could be a key tool to shield the Colombian public system’s resources from potential criminal threats.
Strategies designed by UNODC
Among the strategies proposed by UNODC for Coljuegos are:
- Strengthening internal control
- Improving information security
- Focusing on compliance officers’ tasks.
These measures aim to ensure constant monitoring and effective tracking of risks that may arise within the sector.
Andrea Agudelo, regional head of the UNODC Corruption and Economic Crime Branch, stressed that Coljuegos will be a pioneer by first implementing its preventive system before requiring operators in the sector to adopt these measures. “Coljuegos will set an example in the sector by implementing its prevention system. After that, it will ask operators also to implement these control strategies,” Agudelo stated.
She further pointed out that Coljuegos officials must adopt and incorporate controls designed to prevent risks related to money laundering, corruption, and information security.
These strategies aim to protect Coljuegos as a regulatory entity and generate a positive impact throughout the gaming industry.
Strategic agreement to fight financial crime
The partnership between Coljuegos and UNODC demonstrates how cross-sector partnerships can benefit the gaming industry. Implementing SARLAFT not only seeks to curb illicit activities within Coljuegos’ regulated scope but also strengthens internal capacities through specific tools such as more effective controls and specialised training for its officials.
Additionally, this effort also has significant implications for ensuring that resources generated by legal gaming are used correctly to benefit the public healthcare system. “Our goal is to combat corruption in the sector.” This approach reaffirms the institution’s commitment to transparency and reinforces its role as a Latin American leader in best practices within the sector.
The strategies designed by UNODC aim to generate structural change within the sector. By implementing preventive measures from its internal operations, Coljuegos sets a standard that operators will later replicate, ensuring strategic alignment among all actors involved in the gaming industry.
This article was first published in Spanish on 9 April 2025.
