Cyprus’ Betting Act: The Key Developments Two Years On

The Betting Law of 2012 fundamentally revised the regulation of traditional and newer forms of betting in Cyprus. It has now been two years since the Law took effect, and so it is an appropriate time to review the state of the law in Cyprus.

After Cyprus joined the EU in 2004, online gambling service providers licensed in other EU Member States began to exploit a legal loophole that allowed them to operate from premises in Cyprus. The Attorney General of the Republic of Cyprus issued a controversial legal opinion confirming that in the absence of specific legislation to regulate this matter, nothing could be done to stop them, prompting a public debate over the legality of online gambling and culminating in the enactment of Law 106(I) of 2012 ('the Betting Law'), which regulates the provision of betting services and prohibits and criminalises all games of chance, including online games. The Law is based on Directive 98/34/EC of the European Parliament and European