The market
Cyprus licenses online betting only. The National Betting Authority operates under the Betting Law of 2019 and licenses Class A land-based and Class B online sports betting. Online casino games, slots, poker and lotteries cannot be licensed and are prohibited, and the NBA warned the public in 2025 about illegal online casino advertising and misinformation. Online horse-race betting and virtual games are also excluded.
The betting market is sizeable for the country’s population, with EUR 1.3bn in turnover in 2025, up 8%, and roughly 70% adult participation while problem gambling is kept near 3% through a public-health approach. Online betting holds the largest share, with retail still important for employment.
For a casino-led operator, this is a closed market. Only sports betting on real events involving human participants is licensable.
Regulation and licensing
The NBA licenses under the Betting Law of 2019 (Law 37(I)/2019). A Class B online betting licence excludes slot machines, online casino games and online horse-race betting. Licence fees are cited at EUR 30,000 for one year or EUR 45,000 for two years, with EUR 500,000 paid-up share capital and a EUR 550,000 bank guarantee. Tax is 15% of net betting revenue, split 10% to the Republic and 5% as a statutory contribution, of which 4% goes to Cypriot sport and 1% to youth protection and gambling-harm programmes. Land-based casino gaming sits separately under a single-consortium monopoly, and lotteries are a state and OPAP monopoly.
The framework is fragmented, with different activities under different laws and authorities, but for online it is simple: betting yes, casino no.
Marketing and player rules
Advertising is governed by NBA rules, and the NBA has publicly warned against illegal online casino advertising. Class B operators must keep player funds in a segregated client bank account, and NBA responsible-gambling and player-protection controls apply. B2B licensing reforms advanced in 2025-2026 alongside a public-health strategy. Affiliate exposure should be kept within the betting-only scope, because promoting casino to Cypriot players is promoting a prohibited product.
What this means for your plan
For a casino operator, Cyprus is a no. The vertical you want is prohibited, and the NBA is actively warning against it, so there is neither a licence to hold nor a safe grey route. If you run a sportsbook, Cyprus is a small but real licensable market with a 15% effective tax and a public-health framing that rewards compliant operators. I would only pursue it as a betting add-on, not a standalone target. First move: if you are betting, weigh a Class B licence against the EUR 1.3bn turnover base; if you are casino, move on.
Sources
- National Betting Authority, official site, checked 4 September 2026
- SBC News, Cyprus lays down groundwork for effective gambling regulation, checked 4 September 2026
- mygaminglicense, Cyprus gambling license 2026, checked 4 September 2026