Colombia to launch regulated Keno, boosting healthcare funding

Coljuegos has published the draft bidding terms for Keno, a new lottery-style game projected to contribute more than $485 billion pesos to Colombia’s healthcare system over the next five years.

Key Details of the Keno Bid

The draft terms specify that operators will pay 15% to 17% of total sales to Coljuegos as exploitation rights, plus an additional 1% for administrative costs. Notably, Keno will be the first game in Latin America to incorporate blockchain technology for ticket issuance, ensuring transparency and security.

The bidding documents will remain available on Colombia’s SECOP II public contracting platform until April 11, allowing interested parties to submit feedback before the official tender process begins.

Four Regional Concessions, $2.3 Trillion in Projected Sales

Keno will be licensed in four regions for a five-year term, with total sales estimated at $2.3 trillion pesos over that period. The regional breakdown is as follows:

• Region 1: Arauca, Casanare, Cauca, Chocó, Córdoba, Guainía, Guaviare, Nariño, Sucre, Valle del Cauca, Vaupés, and Vichada. (Estimated sales: $535.7 billion)

• Region 2: San Andrés, Atlántico, Bolívar, Cesar, La Guajira, Magdalena, and Norte de Santander. (Estimated sales: $326.9 billion)

• Region 3: Antioquia, Caldas, Quindío, Risaralda, and Santander. (Estimated sales: $772.5 billion)

• Region 4: Amazonas, Bogotá, Boyacá, Caquetá, Cundinamarca, Huila, Meta, Putumayo, and Tolima. (Estimated sales: $751.2 billion)

Marco Emilio Hincapié, President of Coljuegos, emphasized that the goal is to ensure transparency and broad participation in the bidding process. "We want Keno to become one of Colombians’ favorite games while significantly boosting healthcare funding," he stated.

Operational Requirements & Timeline

Interested bidders—including legal entities or consortiums with experience in gambling operations—must demonstrate the capacity to deploy:

• A central gaming system with blockchain-based ticket issuance

• A random number generator and remote connection devices

• A sales network with at least 15,700 terminals nationwide

• Live streaming platforms for draws (occurring every 6-10 minutes, totaling 144-240 daily)

The tender is expected to open on April 16, with concessions awarded by May 19.

How Keno Works

Players select 10 numbers (1-80), matching them against 20 randomly drawn numbers. Prizes scale based on correct guesses, with bets ranging from  1,000 to 20,000 pesos and a maximum jackpot of $1.68 billion pesos. Tickets will be available both physically and digitally, with draws broadcast live.

This initiative aims to modernize Colombia’s gaming sector while channeling critical funds into public health.