Cyprus regulates gambling through a licensing structure that draws a sharp line between land-based betting, online betting, and casino games. For anyone researching a Cyprus online casino license, the first fact worth knowing is that no such license currently exists in the form most people expect — the Betting Law covers sports wagering online, but casino games such as slots and live tables sit outside that framework entirely. This piece looks at how the relevant statutes assign authority, what a Class B licensee must show the regulator, and where Cypriot players actually stand when they access casino games over the internet.
The Legal Foundation: The Betting Law of 2012 and the National Betting Authority
Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, and for several years online betting operators used the principle of free movement of services to work from Cypriot premises without a dedicated statute covering their activity. That changed with the Betting Law 2012, later amended in 2019, which placed betting regulation under the Ministry of Finance and created the National Betting Authority (NBA) as the supervisory body. The NBA reviews license applications, audits operators, investigates complaints, and can suspend or revoke a license when a company fails to meet its obligations. Land-based casino games sit under a separate body, the National Gaming and Casino Supervision Authority, established by the Casino Control Law of 2015.
Why There’s No Class B License for Casino Games
The Betting Law splits authorization into two categories. A Class A license covers land-based betting shops, while a Class B license covers online betting — but the statute specifically excludes online casino games, slot machines, and lotteries from the Class B scope. In practice, this means a company cannot obtain a Cypriot license to run roulette, blackjack, or slot titles over the internet; only sports and event wagering can be licensed for online use. Because of that gap, Cypriot players who want casino-style games online rely on operators licensed elsewhere, typically in Malta or the UK, and check that documentation before registering rather than assuming local approval exists. Players comparing such foreign-licensed sites before depositing often check independent review resources such as online casino cyprus, where licensing details, payment options, and withdrawal times for operators serving Cypriot players are laid out side by side. Cross-checking a license number directly with the issuing regulator, for instance through the Malta Gaming Authority’s public register, remains the more reliable way to confirm a site’s actual status.
The Melco Resorts Monopoly and the Single Land-Based Casino
Cyprus took a different route for land-based casino gaming. Under the 2015 law, a single license was awarded to Melco Resorts for an integrated resort in Limassol, along with the right to open up to four satellite casinos elsewhere on the island, including in Nicosia. That license grants Melco a monopoly on casino operations for a fixed period, and no other operator may offer casino games or gaming machines within Cyprus without a license from the National Gaming and Casino Supervision Authority. The monopoly applies strictly to physical premises; it has no bearing on foreign online operators serving players from outside the country.
What a Class B License Requires
Applying for a Class B license is not a light undertaking. The company must have its registered seat or a branch in Cyprus, hold share capital of at least €500,000, and back its application with a bank guarantee of €550,000, valid for six months after the license is granted. The NBA also expects proof of sufficient funds to cover player winnings, working accounting and control systems, and compliance with the player-protection rules it sets. A short comparison of the two license types:
| Feature | Class A License | Class B License |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Land-based betting shops | Online betting only |
| Casino games covered | No | No |
| Horse racing | Not permitted | Not permitted |
| Minimum share capital | €500,000 | €500,000 |
| Bank guarantee | €550,000 | €550,000 |
| Validity | 1–2 years, renewable | 1–2 years, renewable |
Services That Remain Prohibited
Regardless of license class, certain activities cannot be offered in Cyprus, in person or online:
- Betting on horse races
- Limited betting-games machines
- Spread betting
- Dog racing
- Bitcoin-based gambling
Player Verification and Anti-Money Laundering Duties
Class B licensees carry due-diligence obligations tied to Cyprus’s anti-money-laundering rules. Before registering a player, an operator must confirm the person is over 18, verify their identity and address, record a valid email, and log a declaration that the player understood the terms of the bet, including any commission the licensee may take. If false information comes to light, the operator must refuse or cancel the registration, and it must complete identity verification within 30 days of sign-up, keeping an electronic record of every registered player.
Serving Players Outside Cyprus
The Betting Law does not address if a Cypriot licensee can accept players based abroad, so a licensed company may offer services outside Cyprus provided it follows the rules of each destination country. The reverse is stricter: any foreign entity that actively serves people living in Cyprus without an NBA license, or without a casino license from the National Gaming and Casino Supervision Authority for casino-style products, is acting outside the law. A Cypriot license, in other words, opens doors abroad more easily than it opens doors for foreign operators looking in.
Cyprus built its statute around sports betting rather than online casino games, leaving casino-style products to foreign regulators such as Malta and the UK. Anyone assessing a Cyprus online casino license should keep that split in mind: the NBA’s Class B license confirms an operator is fit to run betting activity, not casino games, and checking a foreign license directly with its issuing authority stays the surest way to confirm where a given site actually stands.
Published On: August 18, 2026
