Coljuegos fines influencer COP 116 million for alleged illegal gambling promotion on Instagram

Coljuegos has fined influencer Yeferson Esteban Cossio Castaño COP 116 million after finding him responsible for operating and marketing a promotional game of chance on Instagram without authorization. For PSPs, acquiring teams, and risk managers, the detail that matters is simple: in Colombia, social media promotion can turn into a gambling enforcement case fast, and the regulator is already naming names.

1. The fine was set at COP 116 million, which Coljuegos said equals 100 legal monthly minimum wages for 2023, when the minimum wage was COP 1.16 million. The sanction followed an administrative process that included investigation, charges, defenses, and closing arguments.
2. Coljuegos said Cossio was responsible for operating and commercializing a juego de suerte y azar in a promotional format through Instagram without the required authorization. In practice, that puts the activity squarely inside the regulator’s gambling perimeter, not the “just marketing” bucket operators sometimes hope for.
3. Beyond the monetary penalty, the resolution bars Cossio from operating games of chance for five years after the decision becomes final. The file will then be sent to the Gerencia de Cobro Coactivo, although he can still file reposición and apelación appeals.
4. The case began with a complaint about promotional activity circulated on Instagram. Coljuegos said the action is part of its strategy to fight illegal gambling operations and protect resources allocated to Colombia’s health system.
5. The regulator also said it has already requested the blocking of 437 social media profiles linked to the promotion and operation of illegal gambling activity. For high-risk operators, that is the practical signal: enforcement is not limited to licensed venues or payment flows; it now extends to the channels where traffic is generated.