Colombia ready for online live-dealer casinos
'If people can't visit casinos to play, the casinos can be played at the people' -this is basically the decision of Colombia's gaming regulator, Coljuegos, who accepted a plan to introduce online casinos to the country from live-dealers. Following an thorough review of the activity's revenue possibilities, the change is being made and Coljuegos will make it simpler for operators to get moving, as it has approved a deferral of payments connected with the simulated gambling operation.
In part, the decision to step forward with the proposal comes in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which forced the global casino industry to a standby mode. Coljuegos, which introduced online gaming in 2017, derived its proposals from research, that were carried out on related initiatives in the United States, the United kingdom and Spain, which finds that iGaming's live-dealer adds a new revenue source rather than cannibalizing existing options.
The proposed plan would also have to follow the current regulatory standards, it goes without saying. But the positive news is that gamblers will now have a more immersive gambling environment with live dealers and the nation will have access to additional financial capital, as well as increased opportunities for jobs. Remote operations will also be allowed as long as they conform with the country's online gaming regulatory and technical guidelines.
Coljuegos would make it easier for operators of both live and virtual casinos to help get things off the ground, and to mitigate the financial strain created by covid-19. For a six-month period, the brick-and-mortar retailers will be forced to afford their March and April payments and will have to briefly cut the number of gaming consoles they sell for the same duration. For March, April, and spring, virtual casinos will still have to make monthly fees, although they have been cut by 50%. As an added benefit measure, contractually agreed minimum tax thresholds or fixed taxable income payments are suspended until the end of the year.
Rush Street Interactive (RSI) is excited about the experiment. In June 2018, it joined Colombia, the first U.S.-based player to do so, and started adding online casino games and a sportsbook. It will now carry live-dealer blackjack and roulette to supplement its sales, depending on NetEnt gaming technology provider for the undertaking. RSI Colombia's GM, Omar Calvo, expressed pleasure with the expanded relationship, adding that "Blackjack and Roulette games are now among the most successful table games on our U.S. pages, and we know players in Colombia who enjoy top-quality table game content would love to play online at RushBet.co."
