Colombia To Launch Blockchain Based Officially Licensed Keno

Colombia has made history, launching the first regulated keno lottery games that run on blockchain infrastructure. This is a major move, as it is one of the first instances of a government operated gambling game that uses the distributed ledger technology, for tracking and issuing tickets. However, before you get excited, this doesn’t mean Colombia will legalize gambling for cryptocurrencies.

No, the blockchain technology is used in for the backend of this new lottery product, you won’t be able to buy keno tickets using cryptocurrencies. Yet still, it is an innovative use of decentralized blockchain technology, and casts a light on many of the perks of supplying games with this infrastructure. While we don’t expect this to mean Colombia is any closer to legalizing crypto gambling, it is a regulatory precedent that can modernize the national lottery and possibly cause a chain of reactions in other countries.

Coljuegos Announces New Blockchain Powered Keno

Coljuegos, the Colombian gambling regulator, announced the new game on October 8. It elaborated that the goal is to boost the gambling industry with greater security and that the proceeds from the keno game are expected to contribute Col$485 billion to healthcare over the next five years. The president of the gambling authority, Marco Emilio Hincapié, stated that the initiative represents a step in modernizing Colombia’s gambling market.

“This project will not only modernize our regulated lottery offerings but will also strengthen public trust through auditable technology.”

Operations are expected to begin by January 2026, following a four-month technical rollout period for infrastructure setup, testing, and training. The idea is to serve this keno game both in digital and physical form. There will be over 16,000 terminals installed across the country, in kiosks, retail shops, and dedicated outlets. Much like the other national lottery products. But, again, the keno will use blockchain technology, but it will not support cryptocurrency payments.

How the Blockchain Based Keno Works

Bets will range from Col$1,000 to Col$20,000, with draws taking place every six to ten minutes. Coljuegos stated there could be anywhere from 140 up to 240 draws per day. The top jackpot per draw is expected to reach Col$1.68 billion. There may also be additional prizes, depending on the stake size. The paytable hierarchy, frequency of the games, and flexible table limits are designed to make it convenient and accessible for all. On top of that, these games are expected to be broadcast on public media channels on YouTube and similar platforms.

Each region of Colombia will have its own licensed operator, all under Coljuegos oversight:

• Region One (Operador Regional de Keno): covers Arauca, Cauca, Córdoba, Sucre, Valle del Cauca, and others.
• Region Two (Costa Operador Keno): covers coastal regions like Atlántico, Bolívar, and Magdalena.
• Region Three (Keno Región 3): covers Antioquia, Caldas, Quindío, Risaralda, Santander.
• Region Four (Blinkazar): covers Bogotá and central departments like Cundinamarca, Huila, and Meta.

What we are looking at is a continuous, highly monitored and accessible nationalised keno product, which has flexible staking limits. It has massive potential, and that’s all thanks to the blockchain backend.

Main Highlights of Blockchain Based Infrastructure

The keno system will use blockchain technology to improve oversight and deliver a higher standard of game integrity. The blockchain records every ticket sale, draw results, and it will also oversee the prize payout on a ledger. This ledger will be accessible for both the Coljuegos auditors and the concession operators.

By having all tickets and sales timestamped and logged, it will make the process verifiable and give greater transparency. Ticket manipulation or data tampering becomes virtually impossible as a result of the technology, heightening the security and giving participants the assurances that the games are not rigged. Furthermore, as a player, you can also verify the results as these are permanently recorded on the blockchain. Instead of having RNGs created by algorithmic formulae and seeds, they use cryptographic ledgers. This is the same type of provably fair gaming product you would get at Bitcoin casinos and native cryptocurrency gambling platforms.

While we don’t know just yet which blockchain protocol Coljuegos will use, analysts are expecting either a hybrid or permissioned ledger, to be compliat but also create a scalable product.

Colombia’s Stance on Cryptocurrencies

Despite the innovative use of the blockchain, Colombia maintains a strict divide between blockchain technology and cryptocurrency gambling. Cryptocurrencies are not strictly illegal in Colombia, you can own and trade crypto assets in the country. But gambling with cryptocurrencies is a gray area, and is not regulated under Colombian gambling laws. In nearby Brazil, where cryptocurrency adoption is arguably the highest of all Latin American countries, the regulators have made more of an effort to block these sites. Brazil has just made a fresh batch of iGaming legislation to update the 2023 laws, and has restricted many deposit payment options, including cryptocurrencies.

Colombia has not made any similar legislation, but the laws express that all licensed betting and gambling products must use the national currency, Colombian Pesos. The new Keno concession is not going to lean away from that. It will use the blockchain as the infrastructure for the games, but there have been no signs to indicate that Colombia wants to bring in cryptocurrency gambling products.

Popularity of Keno in Colombia

Keno is a game that is enjoyed the world over, from Sweden to Australia and even in Latin America. The game heralds from China, and is one of the oldest lottery-type games of chance. The Colombian keno involves players picking 10 numbers from a pool of 80. In each draw, 20 numbers are selected at random by the cryptographic RNG. Participants win prizes based on how many of their chosen 10 numbers match the 20 from the draw.

The tickets will be issued using blockchain technology, meaning that the sale time, identity of the terminal, bet numbers, and the draw result are all recorded. The technology can accommodate all of this, and supply new games every 6 to 10 minutes, carrying on all day, every day. Keno is in high demand in Colombia, and it makes up a considerable part of Colombia’s informal gambling scene. There are illicit and semi-legal operators scattered across the country, but by supplying such an accessible and effective product (not to say provably fair), the idea is to satisfy the entirety of keno gamers in Colombia. Thus, attracting players to a legalized and monitored game, where they can play whenever they like, and the games are officially recognized.

What the New Blockchain Powered Keno Can Prove

This new keno product may just be a national lottery update, but it stands for something a lot more significant. It is a regulatory milestone in the adoption of blockchain technology, and while it may not bring Colombia one step closer to legitimizing crypto gambling, it definitely demystifies the space. This is a functional precedent, one that will undoubtedly interest other regulators.

Using the blockchain for accountability, enhanced security and functionality, this test could pay off in a big way. In the next 4 months, Coljuegos will set up their new game, but by January 2026, we expect the keno lottery to hit it off with a mighty bang.