Cyprus wants zero tolerance on illegal gambling

• Finance Minister Makis Keravnos calls for zero tolerance towards illegal gambling.
• NBA chairman Panayiotis Trisokkas says compliance alone does not protect players.
• Self-exclusion is set to extend from online accounts to Cyprus’ betting shops.

Cyprus’ Finance Minister Makis Keravnos has called for zero tolerance towards illegal gambling.

His message went to the 9th Safer Gambling Conference in Nicosia on 12 October, where the National Betting Authority (NBA) also made clear that ticking regulatory boxes is no longer enough.

A minister draws the line

Lucy Herodotou Mouskou, director of financial management of the central government, delivered the speech on Keravnos’ behalf. It treated gambling harm as a cost to the public, not a side issue for the regulator.

Makis Keravnos, Finance Minister of Cyprus, said in the speech:

“Every case of problematic gambling comes at a cost to a family, to society and ultimately to the state.”

According to Cyprus Mail’s report of the speech, he said betting growth should not be judged on economic indicators alone.

That matters because the licensed market is earning more. Second-quarter wagers fell to €329.8m. Gross gaming revenue, the amount bookmakers keep after paying out winnings, still rose 24% year-on-year to €46.9m, according to NBA figures.

When a finance ministry says revenue is not the measure of success, operators should expect harm prevention to carry more weight in future decisions.

Compliance is the floor

Panayiotis Trisokkas, the NBA’s chairman, set out the same position from the regulator’s side.

Trisokkas said:

“A well-regulated market is a prerequisite for a sustainable market. And a sustainable market is one in which player protection is an integral part of its operation.”

According to Cyprus Mail, he warned that compliance alone falls short. Authorities must keep checking whether rules reflect actual market conditions and emerging risks.

For compliance teams, that shifts the question. A safer gambling policy on file proves little. Showing that harm is spotted early, and acted on, proves more.

The conference pointed to AI and data analysis as the route there. Trisokkas said these tools could deepen understanding of player behaviour and strengthen protective measures.

The blocklist keeps growing

Online, Cyprus licenses sports betting only. Online casino games are prohibited, and 13 Class B online operators were active in the second quarter.

The NBA’s blocking list reached 22,660 websites by the end of June, after 245 additions in the quarter. That is about 5% more than a year earlier.

Every blocked domain is a market where players have  no complaints route, no deposit limits and no self-exclusion. Detecting illegal betting in the first place remains one of the hardest jobs regulators face, the conference heard.

Players carry risk too. According to an NBA public warning, taking part in illegal gambling or online casinos can bring up to one year in prison, a fine of up to €50,000, or both. Providers face up to five years and fines of up to €300,000.

Young adults in the feed

Promotion is where the pressure is building. An NBA survey of 1,000 people aged 18 to 35, published in July, found that 93% had seen gambling content on social media in the previous 12 months.

Some 89% had seen paid ads from betting companies and online casinos. Another 77% had come across influencer promotions.

Keravnos flagged the exposure of children and young adults to this content. The NBA plans to strengthen its powers against illegal promotions on social media, mobile apps and search platforms.

Licensed brands compete for attention in the same feeds. Any new powers will test how clearly their marketing stands apart.

Exclusion moves offline

Cyprus has run a National Self-Exclusion Platform for licensed online betting since February 2024. The NBA’s 2026–2028 strategic plan aims to extend self-exclusion to land-based betting shops.

That raises a practical question for retail operators: how staff identify an excluded customer at the counter. Regulators elsewhere are finding that self-excluded players still slip through on unlicensed sites.

Cyprus is closing the gaps it controls. Operators that can show early harm detection, clean marketing and joined-up exclusion will be better placed for the next round of rules.