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Cyprus gambling law

Can you get an online casino licence in Cyprus?

The honest answer is no — and understanding why points you to the structure that actually works for licensed online casino operators.

Reviewed by Sergios Charalambous, Founder · Advocate, Cyprus & Athens Bar — corporate & tax lawLast updated: 20 June 2026

The short answer

No — you cannot get an online casino licence in Cyprus, because Cyprus does not issue one. Online casino, slots and poker are not licensed domestically. The only online gambling licence available in Cyprus is for sports betting, issued by the National Betting Authority (NBA) as a Class B licence.

Anyone offering you a “Cyprus online casino licence” is mistaken. The route that actually works is a Cyprus company combined with a foreign gaming licence.

Why doesn’t Cyprus license online casinos?

Under the Betting Law of 2019 (Law 37(I)/2019), the National Betting Authority regulates betting only. It issues two classes of licence — Class A for land-based betting and Class B for online (electronic) betting — and these explicitly exclude casino games of chance, slots, online poker and betting exchanges. There is no domestic framework that grants an online casino licence.

What about a Cyprus betting licence (Class B)?

If your product is a sportsbook, Cyprus does have a genuine online licence — the NBA Class B betting licence. It does not cover casino, slots or poker. Indicative terms:

ScopeOnline sports betting only — NOT casino, slots or poker
Cost€30,000/yr (or €45,000 for 2 years) + ~€2,000 representative fee
Requirements€500,000 paid-up capital · €550,000 bank guarantee
Tax13% on net proceeds (10% betting tax + 2% federations + 1% responsible gambling)
Timeline~2–3 months

Source: National Betting Authority.

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The correct route: a Cyprus company + a foreign licence

For casino, slots or poker, operators base the company in Cyprus and hold the gaming licence in a suitable foreign jurisdiction. The Cyprus company provides the EU corporate base, a 15% corporate tax with roughly 3% effective on qualifying software IP (the IP Box), and a structure banks and payment processors recognise; the foreign licence — Malta, Curaçao, Isle of Man, Gibraltar, Anjouan and others — is chosen for your product and target markets.

See exactly how the two fit together in the structure guide, and compare licences in the jurisdiction comparison.

Land-based casinos in Cyprus

For completeness: Cyprus does have land-based casino gaming. City of Dreams Mediterranean in Limassol is a licensed integrated-resort casino operating under a separate land-based regime. That regime is unrelated to online gaming and does not provide an online casino licence.

Frequently asked questions

No. Cyprus does not issue online casino, slots or poker licences. Under the Betting Law of 2019, the National Betting Authority licenses only sports betting — Class A (land-based) and Class B (online). For casino or poker products the gaming licence is obtained in a suitable foreign jurisdiction, while a Cyprus company is used as the corporate, tax and IP base.

Online sports betting is legal under a National Betting Authority Class B licence. Other online gambling — casino, slots, poker and betting exchanges — is not licensed and is restricted in Cyprus. Operators serve those products under a licence held in a foreign jurisdiction.

They base the company in Cyprus (for tax, IP and corporate substance) and hold the gaming licence abroad — for example in Malta, Curaçao or the Isle of Man. The casino is operated by the licensed foreign company; Cyprus provides the EU corporate and IP base.

Yes — land-based. City of Dreams Mediterranean in Limassol operates under a separate land-based integrated-resort casino regime. That regime does not provide an online casino licence.

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