Colombian authorities shut down illegal gambling network

| By Daniel O'Boyle
A Colombia-based illegal online gambling ring bringing in revenue of COP3bn (£640,000/$863,000/€711,0000) per month has been shut down, industry association La Federación Colombiana de Empresarios de Juegos de Suerte y Azar (Fecoljuegos) has announced.

The 15-member group, known as “Los Poker”, operated illegal gambling at 62 different URLs, with gaming services provided by a Malta-based supplier.

Members of the group were based all across the country, with two men known as “Carlos” and “Juan Carlos”, from the central Colombian city of Villavicencio, leading the operation. 

Fecoljuegos added that “an expert in computer systems” from the Northern city of Duitama was also one of the 15 members of the group, providing technical support.

The group also worked from Peru and Ecuador and targeted customers there.

Of the COP3bn in monthly revenue the group made, around COP500m will be set aside to pay gambling taxes, which go towards health services and sport.

The Colombian Attorney General’s office and Colonel Clauder Antonio Cardona Cataño, Commander in charge of the Villavicencio Metropolitan Police, led the investigation, which lasted more than two years. Fecoljuegos president Evert Montero Cárdenas commended the Attorney General and Cataño for their work.

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