Colombia Launches Regulated Keno, First in Latin America to Use Blockchain for Ticket Issuance

(AsiaGameHub) –   Colombia’s newly regulated gambling offering is among the first in Latin America to leverage blockchain technology for issuing game tickets.

Colombia.- Starting April 1, Colombia’s gambling regulator has overseen the launch of keno as a newly regulated vertical in the country’s gambling market. The game will be offered across the nation by four operators, and is projected to contribute roughly COP 500 billion (€118m) to the country’s subsidized health system over the next five years.

Keno tickets are available at more than 26,000 sales terminals across all 32 departments of the country. The regulator confirmed that this is one of the first regulated games in Latin America to adopt blockchain technology for ticket issuance, designed to deliver higher levels of security for players.

To play, participants need to pick 10 numbers between 1 and 80 and confirm their bet amount – ticket prices range from COP 500 (€0.12) to COP 20,000 (€5.75). The game system will randomly draw 20 numbers from the full 80-number pool, then match this drawn set against the player’s selection to count matching numbers. Depending on the region, live-streamed draws take place every 6 or 10 minutes.

For many years, keno was only offered illegally across Colombia.

Marco Emilio Hincapié, president of Coljuegos, shared: “We are making industry history: for the first time in a long time, Colombians will have access to a new game that, in addition to contributing to public healthcare, will award millions in prizes to bettors.”

“We expect that over the next five years, this game will hit total sales exceeding COP 2.3 trillion and grow into one of the most popular games among Colombians. We encourage players to only play Keno at officially authorized locations. We have created a safe game with an attractive prize structure that is fully backed by the government. By choosing legal play, we all contribute to the health of Colombians.”