TLDR
- About 13.8% of Colombian internet users aged 16 and older gamble online, placing Colombia in the global top 30.
- Colombia ranks third in South America, behind Brazil at 19% and Chile at 16.6%.
- BetPlay holds about 51% of Colombia’s online betting activity, and Wplay holds around 14%.
- Colombia’s gambling sector earned COP 977.2 billion through August 2026, up 39.38% from the same period in 2025.
- Online sports betting revenue rose 84.24% in the first eight months of 2026.
Colombia is one of the 30 countries with the highest share of people gambling online, according to new data from DataReportal. About 13.8% of internet users aged 16 and older in the country take part in online gambling.
That rate puts Colombia third in South America. Only Brazil and Chile rank higher in the region.
Worldwide, online gambling brings in an estimated $105 billion to $121 billion in revenue. That equals about 39% to 42% of all money spent on gambling around the world.
Wider internet access has helped online platforms grow. They have gained ground on traditional casinos, gaming venues, and lotteries.
How Colombia Compares Globally
DataReportal’s ranking looks at internet users aged 16 and older, not the full population. South Africa leads the world at 32.3%, and Norway follows at 31.2%.
In South America, Brazil has a participation rate of 19%. Chile comes next at 16.6%, followed by Colombia at 13.8%.
Participation rates do not show how much money people spend. They only measure how many internet users gamble online.
The top countries use different rules. South Africa has seen fast growth in online betting, with reported turnover reaching 1.1 trillion rand.
Norway runs a strict system where state-controlled operators Norsk Tipping and Norsk Rikstoto manage major gambling activities. The country uses mandatory loss limits and player monitoring, and it began blocking foreign gambling sites in 2025.
At the bottom of the ranking, South Korea records 2.7% participation. Vietnam follows at 5.7%, and Taiwan at 6.5%.
Colombia’s Betting Market and Revenue Growth
According to figures attributed to Coljuegos and Fecoljuegos, Colombia’s online betting market handles between COP 34.5 trillion and COP 45 trillion in yearly gross betting volume. The market has more than 10.8 million active accounts.
A small number of companies control most of the market. BetPlay holds about 51% of national activity, while Wplay holds around 14%.
Coljuegos, the national gambling regulator, said COP 7.2 trillion has gone to Colombia’s subsidized healthcare system since 2022. The money came from national, territorial, and online gambling.
The regulator also reported that the gambling sector earned COP 977.2 billion in revenue through August 2026. That is a 39.38% increase from the same period in 2025.
Online sports betting made up COP 473.023 billion of that total. Revenue from this segment rose 84.24% in the first eight months of the year.
The increase came during a period of high betting activity tied to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
