🇨🇾For operators · Tax, marketing & compliance
Operating in Cyprus: sports betting only, 15% tax
Cyprus has a licensed online sports betting market, but online casino and poker are illegal. A single land-based casino monopoly exists.
Betting tax and contribution15%UpfrontEUR 30,000Licence term1 or 2 yrsAnnual GGR162M EURActive licensees13
Product by product
Every online applicant needs a company limited by shares with a branch in Cyprus, EUR 500,000 paid-up capital and a EUR 550,000 bank guarantee, and may run its betting on one .com.cy address only.| Product | Status | Licensed by | Tax | Key restriction | Advertising |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online sports betting (Class B) | Licensable | NBA, Class B bookmaker's licence | 10% tax plus 5% contribution, 15% of net revenue | One .com.cy website per licence; a backup server in Cyprus; horse-racing betting is excluded | Allowed after NBA review, under the Code of Advertising |
| Online casino, slots and live casino | Banned | None | None | Not licensable (Betting Law arts 16(2)(b), 83-87); providing it in Cyprus is a felony, up to 5 years or EUR 300,000, or both | Advertising a prohibited activity is an offence, up to 1 year or EUR 50,000, or both |
| Online poker | Banned | None | None | Online poker is defined as an online casino game, so no licence exists | Advertising a prohibited activity is an offence |
| Betting exchanges and spread bets | Banned | None | None | Prohibited by arts 85-86; providing them carries the same maximum penalty as online casino | As for Online poker |
| Lottery and number games | Limited | One exclusive licence, OPAP (Cyprus) Ltd | Own regime, not the betting tax | Numbers and sports-prediction games, land-based and in person only; the licence runs from 26 June 2024 to 25 June 2039 | Under its own law and code |
Decided26 Oct 2026NBA blocking list
How does Cyprus block unlicensed casino sites?
The NBA tells internet providers which sites offer betting not covered by a Class B licence, or services banned by arts 83-87, and providers must block them within 72 hours (art 69). A provider that fails commits an offence, up to 2 years or EUR 170,000, or both (art 70(1)). The list reads 'Last updated on 26/10/2026' and held 22,516 distinct domains when read on 6 November 2026, among them mainstream foreign-licensed casino sites. The Betting Law does not mention apps.
Regulator and player protection in Cyprus
Self-exclusion scheme
National Self-Exclusion Platform (NSEP)
How players exclude themselves; what it covers is in the player guide
Mandatory RG controls
deposit limits
Deposit limits or reality checks the law requires operators to offer
Which casinos & betting sites are licensed in Cyprus?
See the full official list of licensed operators and their authorised domains.
Heads-up for operators
2 items · last change 6 Nov 2026
No amending bill to the Betting Law is published (as of 6 November 2026). The NBA announced on 13 November 2025 that it had drafted a new regulatory bill providing, among other things, for B2B licensing; its text is not published. The casino regulator said on 16 October 2025 that whether the casino resort's exclusivity extends online is a legal and contractual question for the State.
NBA announces a drafted bill with B2B licensing
The NBA says it has drafted a new regulatory bill providing for B2B licensing; no text is published (as of 6 November 2026).
Source: 1
Not yet in force: drafts, laws adopted without a start date, and sections of the law still to be commenced. An item moves to the timeline below on the day it takes effect.
Getting licensed: apply to the NBA
The licence, its cost and the steps are in the licence guide
3 licence types: Class B bookmaker's licence (online betting); Class A bookmaker's licence (land-based betting); Casino licence (land-based). Year-1 budget From €1,080,000. Fees, requirements, documents, certification and the step-by-step route are set out there.Read the licence guide
Gambling tax: 15% of GGR
Detail
Betting tax of 10% plus a contribution of 5% = 15% of monthly net revenue from betting, online (Class B) and land-based (Class A), since 30 December 2024; the contribution was 3% before, so the total was 13% (Betting Law art 74 as amended by L.162(I)/2024; Directive 14.2025.v2).
The land-based casino pays its own casino tax under the Casino Law.
Which foreign licences Cyprus accepts
Cyprus recognises none of these 8 foreign licences.
BlockedMalta (MGA)
Not recognized. Operators targeting Cyprus without a local NBA license are added to the national ISP blacklist.
United Kingdom (UKGC)
Not recognized for serving players in Cyprus.
Curaçao (CGB)
Operators are actively targeted for DNS blocking by the NBA.
Gibraltar (GRA) · Isle of Man (GSC) · Alderney (AGCC) · Kahnawake (KGC) · Anjouan (AGB)Not recognized
Bonus rules: welcome bonuses restricted
Inducement ads: Channel-restricted
Bonuses and promotions are permitted for the legal online sports betting vertical but are subject to a strict Advertising Code enforced by the National Betting Authority (NBA). The code focuses on social responsibility, the protection of vulnerable groups, and preventing misleading claims. All forms of promotion for online casino games are illegal, as the vertical itself is prohibited.
What the player can claim
- Welcome bonus
- Restricted
- VIP schemes
- Allowed
- Loyalty schemes
- Allowed
- Cashback
- Allowed
- Online casino games
- Slots
- Poker
Promotions are heavily scrutinised to avoid misleading claims; for example, the term 'free' may be considered misleading if tied to significant wagering requirements. Promotions that pressure players by requiring a minimum betting amount or number of bets in a specific timeframe are prohibited, except on the operator's own website.
What the operator can advertise
- Channels off-limits
- Television (during specific hours)
- Radio (during specific hours)
- Messages ads may not give
- Content that is untrue or misleading regarding a player's chances of winning.
- Content that implies betting can solve financial problems, serve as an alternative to employment, or guarantee financial security.
- Content suggesting gambling enhances personal qualities like self-esteem or is a sign of maturity.
- Featuring individuals who are or appear to be under 25 years old.
- Mandatory disclaimer
Every advertisement must give the licence holder's identity and that it is licensed by the National Betting Authority, state that minors may not take part, carry a pre-approved safer-gambling message and refer to www.safergambling.gov.cy (Code of Advertising arts 7, 12, 25, 26).
- Placement rule
- Disclaimers and responsible gaming messages must be distinct and clearly communicated. In audio-visual media, the message must be delivered with the same speed and clarity as the main content.
- Penalties
Up to 100,000 EUR for breaches of the Betting Law or its directives.
Severe violations, particularly those related to unlicensed operations, can lead to criminal prosecution with penalties including imprisonment and fines up to 300,000 EUR.
No enforcement actions against licensed operators for bonus or advertising violations have been documented in the last 24 months. The NBA's public focus has been on blacklisting unlicensed domains and issuing warnings about illegal online casinos, which suggests a current preference for guidance over punitive measures for licensed operators in this area.
Advertising: limited
Cyprus permits advertising for its licensed online sports betting market under a strict code of conduct from the National Betting Authority, while completely banning any promotion of illegal online casino activities. This split runs across all channels: licensed sportsbook advertising is restricted and requires NBA approval, while online casino promotion is prohibited.
| Channel | Status | Vertical & Platform Split (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Google Search Ads | Restricted | Google shows gambling ads only from advertisers it has certified for the country, under its gambling and games policy. Under Cyprus law a Class A or B licensee submits its advertising to the NBA for review before it runs (Code of Advertising art 4) and must exclude minors by age targeting (art 13). Advertising online casinos is an offence (Betting Law art 89(2)).256 |
| App Store Publishing | Restricted | Apple: a Class B licensee may publish a sports-betting app under App Store Review Guideline 5.3, with geo-restriction to Cyprus. Google Play allows real-money gambling apps only in the countries on its published list, and Cyprus is not on it (as of 6 November 2026), so a Cypriot betting app cannot be published on Play. Online casino apps cannot be published at all: online casino is prohibited (Betting Law art 84).678 |
| Google/Apple App Store Ads | Restricted | Apple: a licensed sportsbook's App Store app may be advertised to adults under Apple's advertising policies and the NBA Code. Google Play: no app campaigns, because Play does not allow real-money gambling apps in Cyprus (as of 6 November 2026). Ads for online casino apps are an offence (Betting Law art 89(2)).289 |
| Meta (FB/IG) | Restricted | Meta runs gambling ads only with its prior written permission. Under the NBA Code a licensee's social-media use must exclude minors by age settings, and its pages must carry a message encouraging self-protection and stating that minors may not take part (art 14). Advertising online casinos is an offence (Betting Law art 89(2)).2610 |
| TV & Radio | Restricted | Licensed betting may be advertised on TV and radio only within the hours the broadcasting authority sets under the Radio and Television Organisations Law, and never immediately before, after or during children's programmes (NBA Code of Advertising art 17(2)-(3)); television betting advertising may not exceed one and a half minutes per station in any clock hour (art 17(1)). Advertising online casinos is an offence (Betting Law art 89(2)).26 |
| Sponsorships | Restricted | Licensed bookmakers may sponsor, with conditions: the announcement may not encourage betting or refer to the bookmaker's prices (Code art 27(1)), and sponsoring a championship, team or activity where most participants are expected to be under 18, or underage athletes, is prohibited (art 30). Licensees report their sponsorship costs every quarter (art 34). Sponsorship by online casino brands is prohibited (Betting Law art 89(2)).26 |
| Digital OOH | Licensed operators only | Outdoor advertising may show only the required logos and icons (NBA licence, minors prohibited, safer-gambling website), with messages at least 5% and logos at least 12% of the advertisement's height (Practical Guide para 7.4); it may not appeal to minors (Code art 15). Advertising online casinos is an offence (Betting Law art 89(2)).2611 |
Channel rules for Cyprus reflect each platform's published policy and the sources numbered in each row (listed under Methodology & sources). Verify with the local regulator and your ad-platform account manager before launching.
How Cyprus enforces against unlicensed operators
The NBA has internet service providers block every site offering betting without a Class B licence, or a prohibited product such as online casino, within 72 hours of notification (Betting Law art 69). Its blocking list dated 26 October 2026 holds 22,516 distinct domains. It warns the public about misleading social-media ads for illegal online casinos.
- Blocking list dated 26 October 2026: 22,516 distinct domains (22,615 entries).
- An internet provider that does not block commits an offence: up to two years or EUR 170,000 (art 70(1)).
- Offering online casino games in the Republic is a felony: up to five years or EUR 300,000 (art 84).
Enforcement cases in Cyprus: 3 recent
Material regulator actions, court rulings, and high-profile fines from 2016–2026 against operators serving Cyprus. Each entry includes the technical failure and a one-line read-across for other operators in the market.
- February 2026
BookieCo Betting Stores Ltd
LicensingLicence expired, not renewed (NBA announcement)The NBA announced on 11 February 2026 that the Class A licence A016 expired on 9 February 2026 and that from 10 February 2026 the company may not provide betting services. The NBA register still prints A016 with the duration 28/02/2026-27/02/2028 (as of 6 November 2026); the NBA has published no notice explaining it.
Read-across: Land-based betting only; check the register and the NBA's announcements together.
- October 2025
Illegal online casino network (unnamed)
Grey-MarketCriminal proceedingsEurojust announced on 16 October 2025 that two men were charged in France on 9 October with organising prohibited gambling and money laundering. Some of the site managers were based in Cyprus, and searches were carried out in Cyprus and Malta; the sites, offered mostly to French players, turned over nearly EUR 1 billion in five years.
Read-across: Running unlicensed online casino sites from Cyprus is within reach of cross-border criminal investigation: online casino is prohibited in Cyprus (Betting Law art 84).
- August 2025
Various Unlicensed Operators
AdvertisingPublic warning issuedThe NBA warned on 8 August 2025 of a sharp rise in social-media ads for illegal online casinos without a Cypriot licence, many using images and videos of well-known people without their consent, and repeated that online casinos are prohibited.
Read-across: Online casino advertising has no licensed route in Cyprus; the NBA lists the licensed sites on www.nba.gov.cy.
Market size: 0.162B EUR (2025)
Gross gaming revenue in Cyprus is approximately 162 million EUR annually. The most popular form of gambling is Sports betting. Online gambling represents 60% of total GGR. A culturally distinctive product in this market is City of Dreams Mediterranean (Limassol).
GGR figure15
Licensed operators: 13
As of 6 Nov 2026, approximately 13 operators hold an active licence in Cyprus. Size your entry against this base before committing capital. Check them yourself on the official National Betting Authority register, which lists each licensee and its authorised domains.
Notable licensed operators
Bet365
Betonalfa
- Visit site
Meridianbet
meridianbet.com.cy
Fonbet
Traps operators hit in Cyprus
Specific operational risks that have caught new entrants in this market. Each item is country-specific. Generic gambling-ops issues (KYC, RG tools) are not included unless they have a local twist.
Betting only: no casino-type product
A Class B licence covers betting on real events in which people take part. Online casino games, slots, poker, betting exchanges and spread bets are excluded from every licence and are felonies (Betting Law arts 16(2)(b), 83-87: up to five years or EUR 300,000).
Sources13
Local infrastructure and address
A Class B bookmaker keeps a backup server in Cyprus with real-time access for the NBA (art 32(3); Directive 3.2020) and offers betting only on a website whose address ends in .com.cy (art 68).
Sources13
Capital and guarantee
The applicant needs EUR 500,000 issued and paid-up share capital and a EUR 550,000 bank guarantee valid until six months after the licence expires; the NBA may require more, towards 10% of annual turnover (art 32(1)-(2)).
Sources13
Timeline: rules in force
- 20 Oct 2026
The document reports on the financial performance of the betting market in Cyprus for the second quarter of 2026, including gross gaming revenue for Class A (land-based) and Class B (online) licensees, player winnings, betting receipts, the number of licensed Class A premises, employees, and the num
Θετικό πρόσημο για τη στοιχηματική αγορά και κατά το Β’ τρίμηνο του 2026 – National Betting Authority
Source: 16
- 11 Feb 2026
Class A licence A016 expired on 9 February 2026; no betting services from 10 February 2026 (NBA announcement)Land-based
The National Betting Authority announced on 11 February 2026 that the Class A bookmaker's licence of Bookieco Betting Stores Ltd (licence A016, trade name BookieCo) expired on 9 February 2026, and that from 10 February 2026 the company may not provide betting services under the Betting Law 37(I)/2019. The NBA's Class A register, read on 6 November 2026, still prints A016 with the duration 28/02/2026-27/02/2028; no NBA notice explains it. Register status kept as printed.
Source: 17
- December 30, 2024
Contribution raised to 5%
L.162(I)/2024 raised the contribution from 3% to 5% of net revenue: tax and contribution 15% (13% before).
Source: 18
- October 12, 2024
NBA Board renewed
The Council of Ministers renewed the NBA's Board by its decision of 12 October 2024: a President and six members.
Source: 19
- January 31, 2024
National Self-Exclusion Platform mandatory for Class B
NBA Directive 18.2024, in force 31 January 2024, makes the National Self-Exclusion Platform (www.exclusion.cy) mandatory for Class B licensees; Class A and B sites link to it.
Source: 20
- 2019
Betting Law of 2019 (L.37(I)/2019)
Replaced the Betting Laws of 2012 (art 100(1)); Class A and Class B licences, NBA, blocking duty (art 69).
Source: 13
- 2015
Casino Operations and Control Law enacted
The Casino Law provides for one integrated casino resort and a commission to supervise it (land-based).
Source: 21
Operator myths vs reality in Cyprus
Common assumptions about gambling licensing that turn out to be wrong in practice.
- MythA licence from Malta or Curaçao is sufficient to operate in Cyprus.
- MythWe can get one licence to offer both sports and casino.
- MythThe main cost of compliance is the 10% GGR tax.
Markets that work like Cyprus
Compared on what our records hold for each country: whether online casino, betting, poker and lottery are licensed, state-run or banned, the licensing model, what the operator tax is levied on and its band, how most advertising channels are treated, and how foreign licences are treated. A point we hold for only one of the two countries counts for nothing.
- AlbaniaReviewedEcuadorReviewed
Online casino and poker banned; betting licensed; licensed market; GGR tax 10–20%; most ad channels restricted; foreign licences mostly blocked.
- SerbiaReviewed
Betting licensed; poker banned; lottery limited; licensed market; GGR tax 10–20%; most ad channels restricted; foreign licences mostly blocked.
- KazakhstanCheckedAustraliaChecked
Online casino and poker banned; betting licensed; licensed market; most ad channels restricted; foreign licences mostly blocked.
Methodology & sources
The research behind our Cyprus coverage
Counted across every Cyprus page, not this page alone.
compiled 6 Nov 2026
12
official websites
regulators, legislatures, courts
134
pages cited
specific documents, not homepages
252
sourced data points
each traced to the instrument
Across every Cyprus page on this site: players, operators and the licence guide. The research report behind them cites official sources: the law, the regulator, the gazette, the courts and each platform’s own published advertising policy. Page sections not yet rewritten from the report may cite other sources.
The same research as a 75-page Cyprus report: every one of the 201 checklist questions, each answer cited to the instrument behind it.
Request the Cyprus reportOur Deep AI Scan took Cyprus through all 201 questions of our regulatory checklist, from 87 official documents, read on 6 Nov 2026. Our research team then traced every figure on this page to the document and sentence that states it. The full research report is due to go to our compliance team. Where a fact rests on a press report or a law-firm summary rather than an official document, the page says so.
Documents cited on this page
- 1NBA announcement of 13 November 2025 (a drafted bill with B2B licensing)
- 2NBA Code of Advertising CA.02.2021
- 3National Betting Authority: safer gambling website
- 4Betting (Protection of Players, Minors and Pathological Players) Regulations
- 5Google Ads: Gambling and games policy
- 6Betting Law of 2019, L.37(I)/2019 (English text, NBA)
- 7Apple App Store Review Guidelines 5.3
- 8Google Play: countries where real-money gambling apps are allowed (Cyprus not listed)
- 9Apple Advertising Policies
- 10Meta: Online gambling and gaming ad policy
- 11NBA Practical Implementation Guide to the Code of Advertising C.A.02.2021.04
- 12National Betting Authority: blocking list (BlockingListLatest.txt)
- 13Betting Law of 2019, L.37(I)/2019 (English text, National Betting Authority)
- 14NBA warning of 8 August 2025: misleading ads for illegal online casinos
- 15NBA: 2025 results (12 May 2026): gross receipts EUR 1,326,988,085 less player winnings EUR 1,165,151,569 = betting revenue EUR 161,836,516, Class A (land-based) and Class B (online) betting
- 16Source
- 17Source
- 18Betting (Amendment) Law 2024, L.162(I)/2024 (Official Gazette of 30 December 2024)
- 19NBA: Board of Directors
- 20NBA Directive 18.2024: National Self Exclusion Platform (NSEP)
- 21Casino Operations and Control Laws of 2015 to 2022 (CGC)
Other documents this page relies on
- Betting Law 2019, L.37(I)/2019, English text as enacted (NBA)Regulator
- NBA Code of Advertising CA.02.2021 (English)Law
- Form NBA/EN/2024/01/B: application for a Class B bookmaker's licence (English)Regulator
- Betting (Protection of Players, Minors and Pathological Players) Regulations of 2022 (Player Protection Regulations), EnglishLaw
- NBA Directive 03.2020: backup server, computer support system (English)Law
- NBA Directive 15.2024.v4: prevention and suppression of money laundering (Greek)Law
- NBA Practical Guide for the submission of applications and declarations, EAS/EL/2024/PK (Greek)Regulator
- NBA Practical Implementation Guide of the Code of Advertising C.A.02.2021.04 (English)Law
- The Betting (Payable Fees) Regulations of 2019, K.D.P. 84/2019 (English, NBA)Law
Also cited on this page
- National Betting Authority (NBA)
- Cyprus Gaming and Casino Supervision Commission (CGC)
- NBA: financial results for Q4 2025 and the year 2025 (12 May 2026)
- NBA - Problem Gambling Survey 2022
- NBA Directive 14.2025.v2: betting tax and contribution
87 documents in all. Request the full research report for every source, answer by answer.
Looking for the player guide?
For consumer-facing information about gambling in Cyprus (tax on winnings, where to play legally, self-exclusion options), see the Cyprus player guide.
Disclaimer. This page reflects the law as we understood it on 6 Nov 2026. Rules change: always check the current position with National Betting Authority (NBA Cyprus). We are not a legal adviser.