Colombia issues first online gaming licence to Wplay.co

Wplay.co has become the first company to secure an online gambling licence in Colombia.

The operator, owned by electronic gaming machine firm Aquila Global Group, gained approval from the Coljuegos national regulatory body and, according to various reports, will offer a number of services in the South American country.

Confirmation of the licence comes as the Colombian government prepares to block unauthorised and unlicensed companies from operating in the country.

Earlier this year, the government published a list of 325 online operators that were offering gambling services to Colombian punters without a licence.

However, under new legislation approved last year, operators wishing to remain active in Colombia must obtain a licence, which includes a 15% tax rate on gross gaming revenue.

Coljuegos previously stated that the new licensing system, which has attracted interest from a number of operators, could help generate up to $8bn (€7bn) in the first years of operation.

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