Colombia Warns Gambling Operators to stand clear

Saturday March 23,2013 : COLOMBIA MOVING TOWARD ONLINE GAMBLING REGULATION
 
Gambling regulators warn ‘illegal' online gambling operators as country moves toward limited legalization
 
In what is presumably a protective precursor to the country regulating and licensing online gambling to certain operators, the Colombian land gambling regulator Coljuegos has warned illegal online operators to steer clear of the country, and urged locals to report any incidents of internet gambling they encounter.
 
Issuing the warning and dire threats of punitive action, including a ‘bad actor' five year ban from applying for any future licensing that may evolve, was the regulator's president, Rodrigo Vélez Jara, who claimed this week that online gambling was presently illegal in the country
 
Jara may be trying to protect future licensees in the South American nation; last year the government asked Coljuegos to start work on a regulatory and licensing system that would underpin a proposed new law legalising online gambling.
 
Jara indicated that this could be the case when he revealed that online gambling would soon be made available as an additional choice for Colombians.
 
Elespectador.com reports that measures to combat illegal operators that the regulator is considering include IP blocking and possible restrictions on financial processing.