Coljuegos: No campaign can conduct raffles or cash giveaways
The regulatory body for games of chance and gambling in Colombia, Coljuegos, has issued a strong warning directed at candidates for the Casa de Nariño. The entity was emphatic in stating that, to date, no official endorsement has been granted for political campaigns to conduct raffles or promotional games. This clarification comes immediately after the dissemination of a proselytizing event led by candidate Santiago Botero in the city of Bogotá, where approximately 25 million pesos were raffled among attendees.
Marco Emilio Hincapié, president of Coljuegos, reminded that the operation of any gambling activity without a prior authorization resolution is considered illegal. Such actions not only compromise the transparency of the electoral process but also affect the state's rental monopoly, whose main purpose is to finance the healthcare system for Colombians. Hincapié emphasized that no campaign has submitted requests to operate these types of raffles, so any current offering lacks legal and technical backing.
One of the most critical points highlighted by the regulator concerns the nature of the prizes. According to current regulations in the country, it is strictly prohibited for raffle or promotional prizes to be delivered in cash, except in very specific exceptions that do not include political proselytizing activities. In the case of the Romper el Sistema movement's event, the delivery of five prizes of 5 million pesos each was reported, which would directly contravene the legal provisions on the exploitation of games of chance and gambling in the national territory.
The entity issued a preventive call to citizens to refrain from participating in raffles that do not visibly display the institutional logo of Coljuegos and the corresponding resolution number. The message to candidates was equally direct: compliance with legal requirements is mandatory, and the entity remains willing to advise those who wish to carry out these activities within the framework of the law. The priority, according to the official, continues to be to protect resources allocated to public health, preventing gambling from being used irregularly in contexts of electoral competition.
The raffle that triggered this warning took place last Thursday, April 16, 2026, in the Colombian capital. Videos captured on social media showed crowds of people at Santiago Botero's headquarters, attracted by the possibility of accessing economic resources presented as seed capital for ventures. Although the campaign defended the activity as support for productivity, for the regulatory body, compliance with the legal framework governing the gaming and betting sector takes precedence, as it is the only guarantee to avoid sanctions and judicial investigations.
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