A citizen's complaint has drawn attention to the open and daily sale of foreign lotteries, mainly of Colombian origin, on Isla Colón and in Changuinola in the Bocas del Toro province, with no action observed so far from the relevant authorities. According to the testimony, in these parts of the country, tickets for a supposed Colombian lottery are sold for one dollar, offering up to five gaming opportunities, with prizes starting at 400 dollars and accumulating as no winners are registered. The activity is carried out publicly and constantly, with little discretion. The complainant states that the sellers are Colombian citizens who operate openly on the streets and in businesses. When paying out prizes, the procedure is even more striking: winners are filmed while receiving the money, and these videos are sent to Colombia so that the supposed owners of the business can confirm that the payment was made. "They pay you right here, they film you and send the video to Colombia so they know there that the prize was delivered," the source recounted, who claims to have been a direct witness to this practice during a recent visit to Isla Colón. The complaint also points to the presence of other foreign lotteries, including the Costa Rican one, suggesting the phenomenon is not isolated but is expanding in the region. "The ball bounces and spreads," the citizen warned, recalling that years ago this type of activity was not seen in the area. In this situation, questions arise about the role of the National Charity Lottery (LNB) and the authorities in charge of regulating gambling in the country. Are they aware of these operations? Is there any kind of permit? Or are they simply turning a blind eye while the business grows? The complaint opens a new front of concern in Bocas del Toro, not only due to unfair competition against the official lottery but also due to possible legal, tax, and capital control implications in an activity that, for now, is unfolding in broad daylight… as if it were part of the landscape.
