Luckia Colombia to refund 19% VAT on deposits through bonuses

Luckia Colombia has announced that it will reimburse the newly imposed 19% value-added tax (VAT) on player deposits in the form of promotional bonuses. The move comes in response to a tax measure that officially took effect on February 22, requiring licensed operators in Colombia to apply VAT to all player deposits.

Lina Gallego, Luckia’s country manager in Colombia, confirmed to local media that the company will absorb the tax burden and return the equivalent amount to players via bonuses for sports betting and casino games. This initiative aims to maintain player engagement and deter migration to unregulated operators that do not comply with local gaming laws.

The VAT measure was initially proposed last year but was halted in December. However, the government reinstated it on February 12 through emergency legislation, outlined in Decree No. 0175 of 2025, which revoked the previous VAT exemption for online gambling.

Luckia is not the only operator taking action against the tax's potential impact. Last month, Stake's Colombia division also announced a similar promotional strategy, refunding the 19% VAT to players as bonuses.

Industry experts have expressed concerns that the new tax could push players toward unlicensed platforms. In response, operators like Luckia and Stake are leveraging promotions to retain their customer base while complying with the new regulations.