Crypto Casino
Torrent Gear
Licenses for land and sports operators only - Republic of Cyprus
Cyprus adheres to a clear "two-circuit" model of regulation: the state issues licenses to two types of legal activities - land casinos and betting operators (including online betting). At the same time, online casinos, online poker and other casino products on the Internet are not licensed and prohibited. This approach provides transparency of fiscal flows, managed social risk and sustainable tourism value of the land segment.
1) Market architecture: who is responsible for what
Betting (retail and online betting) - National Betting Authority (NBA) zone: licensing operators, supervision, registries, RG, blocking illegal sites.
Casinos (land) - a separate legal regime and their supervision: concession for an integrated resort (IR) and permits for satellite casinos in large cities.
Lotteries - separate acts and supervision; do not mix with betting or casino licenses.
2) What is licensed and what is not
Licensed: Betting operators:- Retail - betting points, terminals, cash desks.
- Online betting - sites/applications for prematch and live betting on sports and events.
- IR (hotel + congress + entertainment + game hall) and a network of "satellites" with slots/tables.
- Online casinos (roulette, blackjack, slots), online poker, "casino-like" games.
3) Rate Licensing: Entry Conditions
Legal transparency: disclosed beneficiaries, confirmed sources of funds, corporate documents.
Technical requirements: certified platform, reliable live feeds, operation logs, fault tolerance plans (DR/BCP).
KYC/AML: Age and personality checks to full play/output; transaction monitoring, threshold checks of the source of funds.
RG default: deposit/loss/time limits, pause, self-exclusion, trained support.
Retail: both operator and each point are licensed; requirements for cash registers, video surveillance, information and prohibition of access of minors.
4) Casino Licensing: Terrestrial Circuit
Concession model IR: a single large resort with a hotel, MICE- and entertainment function.
Satellite casinos: urban "satellites" with controlled halls, ticket office, RG materials and trained personnel.
21 + to enter play areas; equipment certification, calculation protocols, continuous checks.
5) Rigid separation online/offline
Only betting with licensed operators is allowed online; casino content - offline only.
This reduces regulatory complexity, simplifies auditing, concentrates RG tools in two understandable perimeters, and supports tourism.
6) Advertising and Communications
Only for bets (licensed). Strict 18 +, marking, without promises of "easy money," without FOMO and teenage aesthetics.
Casino advertising - within the offline perimeter and rules of venues/events.
Online casinos and poker - not advertised, any integrations are considered a violation.
7) Taxes, reporting and control (framework)
GGR tax/contributions for each segment + regular reporting (turnover, GGR/NGR, active players, RG metrics).
Anti-sulfur circuit: "black lists" of domains, interaction with communication providers, sanctions up to suspension/revocation of the license.
8) Responsible play and customer protection
Online betting: one-click limits, instant reduction and deferred increase, pause, self-exclusion, reminders of long betting sessions/series.
Retail and casino: visible RG stands, trained staff, routing to help, age control at the entrance.
Transparent rules: understandable offers without "small print," payment terms, status of transactions in the office.
9) What it means for players and businesses
Player: Safe choice - licensed bookmaker (online/retail) or land casino; clear limits, payout protection, clear rules.
Operator: a predictable path to a license, understandable tech and RG standards, a strict but transparent advertising frame.
State: managed social risks, sustainable fiscal revenues, multiplier in tourism and employment.
10) Typical errors and how to avoid them
Online casinos "in a gray scheme." The risk of blocking and sanctions → work only in permitted formats (online betting, offline casinos).
Late KYC. Access to the game before verification → hard onboarding with age/identity verification.
Aggressive advertising. FOMO, "fast money," teenage aesthetics → neutral tone, 18 + marking, RG blocks.
Weak telemetry and DR plan. Loss of logs/live failures → backup feeds, unified logging formats, regular DR tests.
11) Roadmap 2030 (estimated)
1. Stabilization of the white segment of online bets (UX quality, personalization without overload, RG analytics enhancement).
2. Strengthening land casinos through MICE and cultural programs, even loading outside the peaks of the season.
3. Digitalization of supervision: behavioral risk signals, automatic audit of creatives and reports.
4. Innovation under control: possible pilots in the payment infrastructure inside the fiat (without the admission of online casinos).
Conclusion: In Cyprus, licenses are issued only to two legal perimeters - land casinos and sports betting operators (including online betting). This is a deliberately "narrow" and understandable model: it protects the consumer, supports tourism and provides transparent tax revenues, keeping the industry in a white legal field.