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Online gambling: officially banned
The rules of Cyprus are very clear: online gambling (casino games, poker, slots, etc.) is officially prohibited, and an exception is made only for online betting on sports and other events with operators with a Cypriot license. This online/offline divorce allows the state to control risks, maintain fiscal transparency and develop tourism through land-based casinos, while maintaining white online betting under strict supervision.
1) What's allowed and what's not allowed
Allowed online: only bets (prematch and live) from licensed operators.
Prohibited online: casino games (roulette, blackjack, slots), poker rooms, lotteries and any "casino-like" products.
Offline: land-based casinos and lotteries are allowed under separate laws and supervision, separate from betting.
2) Who regulates
National Betting Authority (NBA): licenses and controls bets (retail and online), maintains a register of permitted brands, administers blocking of illegal sites, oversees Responsible Gaming (RG).
Casinos and lotteries are in different legal circuits (other laws and supervision).
3) Online bidding licensing
Legal transparency: disclosed beneficiaries, confirmed sources of funds, corporate documents.
Technologies: certified platform, bet telemetry, log storage, fault tolerance plans (DR/BCP).
KYC/AML: Age and personality verification to full play and output; transaction monitoring and threshold checks of the source of funds.
Reporting: regular reports on turnover, GGR/NGR, active players, RG indicators.
4) Why online casinos are banned
Player protection risks: Anonymity and 24/7 access make problem play more likely.
Fiscal transparency: it is easier to collect and verify data in online betting and offline casinos than in multi-format online casinos.
Supervision and evidence base: rates are easier to audit (source quotes/calculation) than multi-genre RNG products outside the local infrastructure.
5) Payments and access
Online rates: bank cards and other permitted fiat methods; cryptocurrencies are not used in the legal perimeter.
Online casinos: any foreign sites without a Cypriot license are considered illegal, access to them may be blocked.
6) Advertising and Communications
For licensed rates only. Advertising - restrained, strictly 18 +, without "easy money," FOMO-language and teenage aesthetics; RG disclaimers are required.
No online casino promo. Any integration of "kaeshin-online" violates the regime and leads to sanctions.
7) Responsible Gaming (online betting)
"Default" limits: on deposits/losses/session time - available to the player in one click; the reduction takes effect immediately, the increase - with a delay.
Pause/self-exclusion: from 24 hours to long periods; unified register of excluded persons.
Soft clues: reminders of session length, "betting series," offer to take a break; trained support.
8) Fighting the "gray" segment
Blacklists of domains and interaction with communication providers.
Sanctions: fines, suspension/revocation of licenses for violators, prosecution of organizers of illegal activities.
Education: publication of lists of allowed operators and RG campaigns for the population.
9) Risks for players on illegal sites
There are no guarantees of payments and protection of personal data.
There are no RG tools, limits and clear dispute procedures.
Financial risks: blocking funds, inability to prove the right to win.
10) Practical checklist
To the player
1. Check if the operator is in the official register.
2. Pass KYC in advance - this speeds up payments.
3. Set limits before your first deposit; use pause/self-exclusion if necessary.
4. Avoid "gray" online casinos - high risk of loss and blocking.
Operator (rates)
1. Maintain the technical reliability of the live and the integrity of the logs.
2. Hold RG tools "in one click" and train support.
3. Run neat, labeled 18 + ads without FOMO.
4. Ensure payout statuses are fast and transparent.
11) Economy and public balance
The "online - betting only, casino - offline" model keeps tax predictability, reduces social risks and maintains the tourist value of the land segment. At the same time, players receive a safe online product - sports betting under supervision and with flexible self-control tools.
12) Prospects to 2030 (estimated)
Basic scenario: maintaining a ban on online casinos while developing "white" online betting and digital supervision (behavioral analytics, automatic audit of creatives).
Cautious innovations: possible pilots in the payment infrastructure (tokenization of transactions within the fiat) - only in a licensed environment, without the admission of online casinos.
Focus on RG: extension of "sessions health" metrics, unification of self-exclusion registries, educational campaigns.
Conclusion: In Cyprus, online gambling is prohibited, and only online bets from licensed operators are legal. This model increases transparency, protects players and concentrates development in controlled segments - "white" online betting and land-based casinos, which form a tourist and economic effect without increasing regulatory risks.