Colombia introduces emergency 16% tax on online bets to fund flood response in eight departments

President Gustavo Petro’s government issued Decree 0240 as part of emergency fiscal measures after severe flooding in eight affected departments. The new charge applies to online games of chance and betting, adding a 16% national consumption tax to the regulated digital gambling market.

The Colombian government has introduced a new 16% tax on online gambling and betting as part of a package of emergency budget measures aimed at financing disaster response and recovery after devastating floods in eight departments. The policy was enacted via Decree 0240 of 2026, issued under the country’s emergency powers framework.

Local reporting and sector coverage say the floods that triggered the emergency measures affected Córdoba, Antioquia, La Guajira, Sucre, Bolívar, Cesar, Magdalena and Chocó, prompting the government to pursue new, fast-track revenue sources.

Under Decree 0240, the government established a 16% “national consumption tax” for online games of chance operated exclusively via the internet, applying to platforms operating inside Colombia or from abroad when they serve Colombian customers.

On how it is calculated, published explanations indicate the taxable base is tied to operators’ online betting activity, with references to gross gaming revenue (GGR) style definitions (total bets minus prizes paid) used for the periodic calculation and reporting. Operators holding a valid Coljuegos concession are expected to collect, declare and pay the tax to Colombia’s tax authority DIAN.

Industry watchers warn that the key test will be implementation: if the tax materially increases the cost of betting on licensed sites, it could encourage some consumers to drift to unregulated operators, reducing consumer protections and weakening the very control mechanisms the regulated market is built on.