Wplay.co has become the first company to secure an online gambling licence in Colombia. The operator, owned by electronic gaming machine firm Aquila Global Group, gained approval from the Coljuegos national regulatory body and, according to various reports, will offer a number of services in the South American country. Confirmation of the licence comes as the Colombian government prepares to block unauthorised and unlicensed companies from operating in the country. Earlier this year, the government published a list of 325 online operators that were offering gambling services to Colombian punters without a licence. More at iGaming Business

A new challenge to Pennsylvania online gambling has emerged in an effort to criminalize the activity. However, there are six other states trying to pass legislation to regulate online gambling! Also, gambling industry news from Colombia and the UK. Aruze Gaming America announces that the Gaming Control Board has approved the company’s Pennsylvania online gambling application. This licensure allows the Las Vegas-based game manufacturer to provide its Class III gambling equipment across the Pennsylvania commercial market. These innovative products include the award-winning Muso Triple-27 cabinet, a top performer on a leading industry report for the past 7 months. The Muso…

The Colombian Gaming Control Board (Coljuegos) is currently waiting for the Ministry of Information Technologies and Communications and the police to enforce the blocking of around 300 gaming websites which currently offer their services locally. Among the sites which the government plans to block are PokerStars, bwin, Bet365, Playbet, Foxfoxbet, Betmotion and Casinobet365. According to the board online gaming laws will be toughened after legislation was passed in 2015 and 2016. Operators offering their services locally will now have to meet with a number of requirements including the obligation to pay a licensing fee of $600m pesos and must meet…

iGaming Business – Server-based gaming specialist Inspired Gaming as expanded its virtual sports service into Colombia after agreeing a deal with GENTEC, part of the Betancur Group. Colombian law does not currently allow for virtual sports betting in the country, but an expected change in regulation later this year will enable Inspired to enter the market. Inspired will provide GENTEC with its range of virtual sports, as well as its bet management system and EPOS solution BetBOX via local distributor Algazara. GENTEC customers will be able to bet on virtual sports including football, horseracing, tennis and motor racing. BetBOX enables…

Gaming certification testing specialist BMM Testlabs has been granted permission to operate in Columbia after it received approval and final accreditation from the COLJUEGOS government regulatory body. BMM Testlabs will now be able to support regulators in the South American country under its new certification. “BMM will work closely with COLJUEGOS during the introduction of a formal homologation into the newly regulated gaming market in Columbia,” BMM TestLabs’ senior vice-president of business development Drew Pawlak said. “Through this collaboration of the two organizations we will be discussing how the homologation process will unfold for the future of gaming, for all…