Regulated keno launches in Colombia

Colombia’s new regulated gambling offering is one of the first in Latin America to use blockchain technology for ticket issuance.

Colombia.- The Colombian gambling regulator has overseen the launch of keno as a newly regulated vertical on the country’s gambling market from April 1. The product will be offered nationwide by four operators and is expected to contribute approximately COP 500 billion (€118m) to the subsidised health system over the next five years.

Keno tickets at more than 26,000 sales terminals in all 32 departments of the country. The regulator noted that it will be one of the first regulated games in Latin America to use blockchain technology for ticket issuance in a bid to provide greater security for players.

Players must choose 10 numbers between 1 and 80 and determine the value of their bet – ticket prices will range from COP 500 (€0.12) to COP 20,000 (€5.75). The system will randomly select 20 numbers from the 80-digit pool, and this selection will be compared with the player’s selection to determine the number of matches. Depending on the region, live-streamed draws will be held every 6 or 10 minutes.

For man years, keno has been offered illegally in Colombia.

Marco Emilio Hincapié, president of Coljuegos, stated: “We are making history in the industry: for the first time in a long time, Colombians will have a new game that, in addition to contributing to healthcare, will award millions in prizes to bettors.”

“We expect that, in the next five years, this game will reach sales exceeding COP 2.3 trillion and become one of the most popular among Colombians. We encourage players to play Keno only at authorised locations. We have designed a safe game with an attractive prize structure, which has the full backing of the government. By playing legally, we are contributing to the health of Colombians.”