🇺🇸 → 🇨🇴   The Simple Version

THE GRINGO'S GUIDE
TO BETTING IN COLOMBIA

You don't need to speak Spanish. You don't need a Colombian ID. You don't need to understand the banking system. You just need this page.

Six steps. Zero jargon. From "I just landed" to "I just placed my first bet."

5 MINRead this guide
10 MINSign up
5 MINDeposit & bet
Total time: ~20 minutes from zero to first bet
01
YES, IT'S LEGAL. RELAX.

Colombia regulates online sports betting through a government body called Coljuegos. If a sportsbook has a Coljuegos license, it's legal, it's regulated, and your money is protected by Colombian law. Every platform we link to is fully licensed.

✅
The one-liner: If you're in Colombia and the sportsbook is on this site, you're good. Legal. Protected. Done.
⚠️
What's NOT legal: Using offshore sites like Bovada or Bet365 that aren't licensed by Coljuegos. No consumer protection, no recourse. Don't do it.
02
FIGURE OUT YOUR ID SITUATION

Different platforms accept different IDs. Find your situation below and you'll instantly know which sportsbooks are open to you:

🛂
"I just have my passport"
You just arrived, you're a tourist, or you're a digital nomad who hasn't gotten Colombian paperwork yet. You have one option — but it's the best one.
→ Betsson (accepts passport)
🪪
"I have a Cédula de Extranjería"
You've been here a while and got your foreign resident ID. Most platforms are now open to you.
→ Betsson, RushBet, Codere, Wplay, Luckia
🇨🇴
"I have a Colombian Cédula"
You're a Colombian citizen or dual national. Every platform is available to you, including the most popular one in the country.
→ All platforms including BetPlay
💡
Not sure? Start with Betsson. They accept passports, have the highest welcome bonus ($250,000 COP), and work well for English speakers. You can always add more platforms later.
03
SIGN UP (10 MINUTES)

Pick a platform from Step 2, click the link, and register. It takes about 10–15 minutes. You'll need your ID (passport or cédula), an email address, and a Colombian phone number.

We've written step-by-step signup guides for each platform so you don't get stuck on a Spanish form field:

⭐
Betsson Signup Guide
#1 pick for expats. Accepts passport. Highest bonus ($250,000 COP).
🇺🇸
RushBet Signup Guide
US-backed (same team as BetRivers). Cédula required. Live streaming.
🏆
BetPlay Signup Guide
Colombia's most popular. Colombian cédula required. Best mobile app.
🔴
Codere · Wplay · Luckia
Cédula de extranjería required. Full guides for each platform.
04
DEPOSIT MONEY

Colombian payment methods are nothing like what you're used to. Here's the cheat sheet — each one explained in American terms:

Efecty
Think: Paying cash at 7-Eleven
Generate a code on the sportsbook, walk into any Efecty (they're everywhere), hand them cash. Done. No bank account needed.
PSE
Think: Zelle / ACH Transfer
Colombia's bank transfer system. Select your bank, log in, approve. Instant. Requires a Colombian bank account.
Nequi
Think: Venmo / Cash App
Mobile wallet app linked to Bancolombia. Instant deposits. Need a Colombian phone number + Bancolombia account.
Visa / MC
Think: Your credit card
Some platforms accept international cards. Many US cards decline gambling transactions. Try it — if not, use Efecty.
🏁
Fastest path if you just arrived: Use Efecty. Walk to the nearest one (Google Maps "Efecty near me"), hand them cash with the payment code from your sportsbook. Account funded in minutes. No bank, no app, no hassle.

Read the full deposit guide → — step-by-step for every method.

05
PLACE YOUR FIRST BET

Your account is funded. Now what? Here's the 30-second version of how betting works on Colombian sportsbooks:

1. Find your sport. NFL, NBA, MLB, soccer, UFC — it's all there. Navigate to the sport and find the match you want to bet on.

2. Pick your bet. Click on the odds number next to the outcome you want. It gets added to your bet slip (usually slides in from the right side of the screen).

3. Enter your stake. Type how much you want to bet in COP (Colombian pesos). The bet slip shows your potential payout.

4. Confirm. Hit the button. You're in.

How to Read the Odds
🏈 Kansas City Chiefs
1.85
🏈 Philadelphia Eagles
2.10
Colombian sportsbooks use decimal odds, not American odds. It's simpler: multiply your bet by the odds to see your total payout. Bet $50,000 COP on the Eagles at 2.10? You get back $105,000 COP if they win (that's $55,000 profit). The lower the number, the bigger the favorite.
🎯
What's a "combinada"? That's just a parlay — multiple bets combined into one. Most welcome bonuses require you to place combinadas (at least 2 legs) to meet the rollover. Just pick 2+ outcomes, add them all to your slip, and it becomes a combinada automatically.
06
CASH OUT YOUR WINNINGS

Won some money? Nice. Withdrawals go back through the same methods you used to deposit — usually PSE (bank transfer) is the most common for withdrawals. Here's what to expect:

Processing time: Most withdrawals land in 24–48 hours via bank transfer. Your first withdrawal will take longer because the platform needs to verify your identity.

Minimum withdrawal: Varies by platform, but typically $20,000–$50,000 COP.

Taxes: Colombia taxes gambling winnings above 48 UVT (roughly $2.4M COP / ~$570 USD in 2026) at 20%. Smaller wins are typically not taxed. If you're winning big, talk to a local accountant.

💰
Pro tip: Open a Bancolombia account with your cédula de extranjería. It gives you access to PSE, Nequi, and faster withdrawals. It's the single best thing you can do to make your betting life easier in Colombia.
🔞
PLAY RESPONSIBLY

Gambling is entertainment, not a financial strategy. Set a budget before you bet. Never chase losses. If it stops being fun, stop.

📞
Colombia Gambling Helpline: 01 8000 522 115 (free, confidential)
US Resources: National Council on Problem Gambling · 1-800-522-4700

THAT'S IT. YOU'RE READY.

Pick a platform, sign up, deposit, and place your first bet. The whole thing takes about 20 minutes.

Start with Betsson → Compare All Platforms →