Colombia is reshaping its online gambling tax model: Decrees 0240 and 0241 introduce a 16% tax on every player deposit — regardless of amount, payment method, or source of funds.
Tax framework
🔵 The tax applies to every deposit made to an online gambling platform
🔵 Applies only to online games of chance
🔵 Winnings are not taxed
🔵 Payment method does not matter: cash, bank transfer, crypto
Scope
🔴 The tax applies to both domestic and cross-border deposits
🔴 Key condition — funds must be credited to a Colombian-licensed platform account
Collection mechanism
🔵 Operators are responsible for collecting the tax
🔵 16% is deducted at the moment of deposit and transferred to the state budget
🔵 Non-compliance leads to regulatory sanctions
Market impact
🔴 Every € 100 deposit becomes € 84 in the player’s account
🔴 Offshore operators do not apply the tax — creating a direct pricing advantage
🔴 Part of the audience will shift to unlicensed platforms
🔴 Operators face additional operational load on every transaction
Key takeaway
A deposit tax is one of the most painful formats for players: the loss is felt before the first bet, not after a win. This directly affects behavior — users will deposit less often and in smaller amounts, impacting both deposit frequency and total betting volume.
For comparison:
— GGR tax is paid from the operator’s margin and is invisible to the player
— Winnings tax is psychologically softer — you only pay if you win
The government chose deposits as the simplest collection point: money comes in → 16% goes to the budget. But this simplicity creates a strong incentive to move to offshore platforms where no such tax exists.
🔵 The tax applies to every deposit made to an online gambling platform
🔵 Applies only to online games of chance
🔵 Winnings are not taxed
🔵 Payment method does not matter: cash, bank transfer, crypto
Scope
🔴 The tax applies to both domestic and cross-border deposits
🔴 Key condition — funds must be credited to a Colombian-licensed platform account
Collection mechanism
🔵 Operators are responsible for collecting the tax
🔵 16% is deducted at the moment of deposit and transferred to the state budget
🔵 Non-compliance leads to regulatory sanctions
Market impact
🔴 Every € 100 deposit becomes € 84 in the player’s account
🔴 Offshore operators do not apply the tax — creating a direct pricing advantage
🔴 Part of the audience will shift to unlicensed platforms
🔴 Operators face additional operational load on every transaction
Key takeaway
A deposit tax is one of the most painful formats for players: the loss is felt before the first bet, not after a win. This directly affects behavior — users will deposit less often and in smaller amounts, impacting both deposit frequency and total betting volume.
For comparison:
— GGR tax is paid from the operator’s margin and is invisible to the player
— Winnings tax is psychologically softer — you only pay if you win
The government chose deposits as the simplest collection point: money comes in → 16% goes to the budget. But this simplicity creates a strong incentive to move to offshore platforms where no such tax exists.