How to Get a Cyprus Gaming Licence in 2026

A Cyprus gaming licence from the National Betting Authority lets your company take sports bets from players in Cyprus, legally and through its own .com.cy website. The licence lasts one or two years, the rulebook sits in one law, and a Cyprus company pays 15% corporate tax on its profits from 1 January 2026.

The hard part is the money and the scope. A Class B licence needs EUR 500,000 of paid-up share capital, a bank guarantee of the same size or more and a EUR 30,000 fee before anyone reviews the file. Online casino games and poker are banned, so the licence covers betting only.

This is where we come in. We form the Cyprus company, prepare the gambling license in Cyprus application with licensed advisers, set up your KYC and AML checks on our own compliance platform and open a business account that accepts betting. One team runs the whole file, so nothing falls between three firms.

Cyprus Gaming Licence at a Glance

A Cyprus gambling license is a bookmaker licence issued by the National Betting Authority (NBA) under the Betting Law of 2019, Law 37(I)/2019. Class B covers online betting, Class A covers betting shops, and both run for one or two years. Casino games are licensed separately and are not available online.

Fees checked against the NBA fees page (Betting (Payable Fees) Regulations of 2019, R.A.A. 84/2019) and NBA Directive 14.2025.v2 on betting tax, on 13 November 2026.

For a Cyprus gambling license, the capital and the guarantee are the real entry ticket, not the fee. Together they tie up about EUR 1 million before the first bet is taken, so the business plan has to show how that money earns its place. The fee itself is small next to it.

Why Get a Cyprus Gaming Licence

A Cyprus gaming license gives you the only legal route to take online bets from players in Cyprus. The market is regulated, taxed at a known rate and growing: the NBA reports gross gaming revenue of EUR 46.9 million in the second quarter of 2026, up 24% on a year earlier.

A Regulated Market With Steady Demand

Cyprus players wagered almost EUR 690 million in the first half of 2026, and bookmakers kept about EUR 92.8 million of it, according to NBA market figures reported by the Cyprus Mail on 30 October 2026. Online betting holds the largest share of that market. Only licensed bookmakers may serve it, and the NBA blocks sites that take Cyprus players without a licence.

One Law and One Regulator

Everything sits in the Betting Law of 2019 and its regulations, and one body supervises it. The NBA licenses the bookmaker, checks the system, collects the tax and acts as the anti-money laundering supervisor for licensed bookmakers. You deal with one authority from application to renewal, which keeps the file simpler than in markets with split regulators.

A Tax Rate You Can Plan Around

Bookmakers pay a 10% betting tax and a 5% contribution, so 15% in total, on net betting revenue: the stakes received minus the winnings paid. NBA Directive 14.2025.v2 sets the monthly return and payment, due by the end of the following month. The rate is published and stable, so it can sit in the business plan from day one.

An EU Company Base

The holder of a gambling license in Cyprus is a Cyprus company or a foreign company with a Cyprus branch, inside the EU and the euro area. Corporate tax is 15% from 1 January 2026, the regulator publishes its law and directives in English as well as Greek, and the same company can hold other Cyprus businesses. See how to start a business in Cyprus for the wider picture.

What a Cyprus Betting Licence Lets You Operate

A Cyprus betting license lets you take bets on sports and on real events with human participants from players in Cyprus, through one .com.cy website for Class B or licensed shops for Class A. It does not cover online casino games, poker, slot machines or betting exchanges, which the law bans outright.

What Is Allowed

A Class B bookmaker offers electronic betting: sports betting online and on mobile, on events with a real outcome. Article 16 of the Betting Law sets the scope. The website must use a .com.cy address, and players must be 18 or over and checked against the national self-exclusion platform before they bet.

What Is Banned in Cyprus

Articles 83 to 87 of the Betting Law prohibit slot machines, online casino games, betting exchanges, spread betting and dog racing bets. The law defines online casino games to include online poker and online roulette. Breaking these rules carries up to 5 years in prison or a fine of up to EUR 300,000, so a casino product cannot sit behind a gambling license in Cyprus.

Land-Based Casinos Are a Separate Regime

Casinos are licensed by the Cyprus Gaming and Casino Supervision Commission under the Casino Operations and Control Law of 2015, L. 124(I)/2015. That regime covers one integrated casino resort, which opened in July 2023, and its satellite casinos. It is not open to new online operators, so this article deals only with betting.

Read more: how to get a Malta gaming license if your product is casino or poker.

Cyprus Gaming Licence Types

There are three betting licences in Cyprus: Class A for betting premises, Class B for online betting and the Class A authorised agent licence for shops run on behalf of a Class A bookmaker. Most foreign operators want Class B. Each is issued for one or two years.

Class B Bookmaker Licence

This is the online gaming license in Cyprus that most readers mean. It authorises electronic betting services, excluding slot machines, online casino games and electronic horse racing. The applicant must be a company limited by shares with betting as its main activity, EUR 500,000 of paid-up capital and a bank guarantee (Article 32). The fee is EUR 30,000 for one year or EUR 45,000 for two.

Class A Bookmaker Licence

Class A covers betting at licensed premises, the high street betting shop. It carries the same EUR 30,000 or EUR 45,000 fee. Each extra premises needs a premises licence at EUR 2,000 for one year or EUR 3,000 for two, and the first premises is included. It suits operators with a retail network in Cyprus, not online businesses.

Class A Authorised Agent Licence

An agent runs a shop on behalf of a licensed Class A bookmaker. The fee is EUR 2,000 for one year or EUR 3,000 for two, or EUR 170 a month where the bookmaker's licence has less than two years left. It is a retail route, and it does not let you run your own online brand.

Own Licence, Agent Licence or B2B Route

Your route depends on the product. An online sportsbook aimed at Cyprus players needs its own Class B licence. A retail operator can work as an agent under a Class A bookmaker. A supplier to licensed bookmakers works through contracts and the certificate of suitability, and a casino or poker product needs another jurisdiction.

Your Own Class B Licence

This is the only way to run your own online brand for Cyprus players. You carry the capital, the guarantee and the full NBA review, and in return the licence, the .com.cy website and the customer relationship are yours. It suits operators who already run sportsbooks elsewhere and want a regulated EU market they can plan for.

Supplying a Licensed Bookmaker

Platform and odds providers work under contract with a licensed bookmaker. The Class B application must include the contract with the system provider and a certificate that the system is suitable, backed by testing laboratory and ISO certificates. A strong supplier file makes the bookmaker's application easier, so suppliers often help their clients prepare it. Suppliers that also serve casino operators often base that side in Malta: see registering as a gambling software provider in Malta.

When Cyprus Is the Wrong Licence

If you need online casino games, slots or poker, Cyprus cannot license them. Malta, the Isle of Man and similar jurisdictions can. Many groups hold a Cyprus licence for local betting and another licence for casino products elsewhere, each with its own company. See setting up an iGaming business in Malta for that side.

Cyprus Online Gambling License Requirements

The Cyprus online gambling license requirements come down to five things: a company limited by shares, EUR 500,000 of paid-up capital, a bank guarantee, a certified betting system with a backup server in Cyprus, and owners and managers who pass the fit and proper test. Each one is checked before the NBA decides.

The Company and Its Capital

For a gambling license in Cyprus, Article 32 asks for a company limited by shares, incorporated in Cyprus or abroad, whose main activity is managing bets. A foreign company works through a branch registered in Cyprus. The issued and paid-up share capital must be at least EUR 500,000, and proof of it goes in with the application. Our guide to Cyprus company formation covers the company itself.

The Bank Guarantee

The applicant gives the NBA a bank guarantee from a credit institution, valid until six months after the licence ends. The English text of Article 32 sets it at EUR 500,000, and the NBA may ask for more when that covers less than 10% of annual turnover. Some 2026 guides quote EUR 550,000 on the NBA template, so the exact figure is confirmed with the NBA when you file.

The Betting System and Servers

Betting must run through one .com.cy website. A backup server must sit in Cyprus, connected in parallel to the main server, and the NBA gets real-time access to the system. The file includes contracts with the system provider, the backup server custodian and the payment provider, plus a certificate of suitability for the system.

Fit and Proper Owners and Managers

Articles 19 and 33 test the applicant, its officers, its beneficial owners and anyone with a significant interest. A significant interest starts at 5%, and a beneficial owner generally holds 10% plus one share. Nobody may have a relevant conviction, and the NBA looks at financial standing, controls and player protection.

AML and Player Protection

Licensed bookmakers are obliged entities under the AML and CFT Law 188(I)/2007, and the NBA supervises them for anti-money laundering. That means customer checks, screening, monitoring and suspicious activity reporting from the first day, and the bank and payment providers will check the same controls. See how to open a high risk bank account for what they ask. Players must be 18 or over and checked against the national self-exclusion platform. Read more: AML requirements for iGaming operators.

Before You Apply for a Gambling License in Cyprus

Prepare the money, the people and the system before you pay the fee. The NBA has no application window and no fixed decision deadline, and a refused fee comes back with a 25% deduction, so a half-ready file costs real money. Use this checklist to see where you stand.

1. The Cyprus company, or the foreign company and its Cyprus branch, is registered.
2. EUR 500,000 of share capital is issued, paid up and evidenced.
3. A credit institution has agreed to issue the guarantee on the NBA template.
4. The ownership chart runs to every beneficial owner, with source of wealth for each.
5. Criminal records and six months of bank statements are ready for every relevant person.
6. A three-year business plan and financial plan are written and consistent with each other.
7. Terms and conditions for players are drafted for the .com.cy website.
8. AML procedures, risk assessment and the AML officer are in place.
9. The system provider, backup server custodian and payment provider contracts are signed.
10. The certificate of suitability and the supporting lab and ISO certificates are in hand.
11. The staging website and test account are ready for the NBA.

Most files that stall do so on items 3, 4 and 10. Start those first, because each depends on a third party with its own timetable.

How to Obtain a Gaming License in Cyprus

The process runs in five stages: you form the company, pay in the capital, arrange the guarantee, set up and certify the system, then file the application with the fee. The NBA reviews the file, asks questions and decides. After approval you connect to the self-exclusion platform and start monthly reporting.

Form the Company and Pay In the Capital

We incorporate the Cyprus company limited by shares, or register the branch of your foreign company, with betting as its main activity. The EUR 500,000 share capital is then paid in and evidenced. Our standard Cyprus incorporation starts from EUR 1,200, and the capital, the guarantee and the licence work are quoted with your setup.

Arrange the Bank Guarantee

A credit institution issues the guarantee on the NBA's template, valid until six months after the licence ends. Banks treat this as credit, so they look at the group's finances and may ask for cash cover. Start this early, because it often takes longer than the company itself.

Build and Certify the System

You sign with the system provider, set up the .com.cy website and staging site, place the backup server in Cyprus and obtain the certificate of suitability. These contracts and certificates are part of the application, so they come before filing, not after.

File With Licensed Advisers

We prepare the application with licensed advisers: the NBA form, the ownership file, the business plan, the AML procedures and every attachment. You pay EUR 30,000 for one year or EUR 45,000 for two by bank transfer when you file. The same fee applies again at each renewal, so plan for it every one or two years.

Answer Questions and Go Live

The NBA checks the documents and the people, and it may ask for more. Rejections must be justified. After approval you connect to the national self-exclusion platform, give the NBA access to the system and start the monthly tax returns.

Documents Needed for a Cyprus Betting Licence

The NBA application form lists 49 attachments, and they fall into five groups: corporate documents, proof of capital and the guarantee, the people file, the business file and the technical file. A complete set is the fastest way through review, because the clock in practice starts only when the file is whole.

The corporate group holds the certificate of incorporation, the memorandum and articles, the registers and, for a foreign company, the Cyprus branch documents. The capital group holds proof that EUR 500,000 is paid up, the original bank guarantee and the fee receipt.

The people group covers every director, officer, beneficial owner and holder of 5% or more: passports, proof of address, criminal records, CVs and six months of bank statements, plus audited or management accounts and tax returns where they exist. A full shareholding chart runs to the ultimate owners.

The business group holds the three-year business plan, the financial plan, the player terms and conditions and the AML procedures. The technical group holds proof of the .com.cy address and the contracts with the system provider, the backup server custodian, the clearing house and the payment provider, with the certificate of suitability.

Read more: Cyprus company formation with a bank account and holding company formation in Cyprus.

Cyprus Gambling License Cost in 2026

The Cyprus gambling license cost has four layers: the company, the NBA fee, the capital and guarantee, and ongoing tax. The NBA fee is EUR 30,000 for one year or EUR 45,000 for two. The capital is EUR 500,000 and the guarantee at least EUR 500,000, so the first-year commitment starts at about EUR 1.03 million before staff and systems.

Fees Paid to the NBA

Source: NBA fees page under the Betting (Payable Fees) Regulations of 2019, checked 13 November 2026. The fee is paid by bank transfer when the application or renewal is filed. If the licence is refused, the NBA refunds it with a 25% deduction, so a refused Class B file costs EUR 7,500 of the fee on top of the preparation work.

First-Year Cost of a Cyprus Gambling License

Read the Cyprus gambling license cost table in two parts. The fee, the system and the advisers are spent. The capital stays in the company and the guarantee is a commitment, not a payment, though banks charge for it and may ask for cash cover. Our own price starts from EUR 1,200 for the standard company. The licence work is quoted with your setup.

Cost by Business Model

Read more: how much a Cyprus company costs and how to open a business bank account in Cyprus.

How Long a Cyprus Gaming Licence Takes

There is no statutory deadline for a gambling license in Cyprus. Article 20 of the Betting Law asks the NBA to decide within a reasonable period, and recent 2026 guidance from advisers says to allow several months from a complete file. The company itself is formed in about a week, and the guarantee and certification usually set the pace.

Plan around the guarantee and the certificate, because both depend on third parties. Renewal is easier to plan: the application goes in at least 3 months before the licence ends, with the fee again.

After the Cyprus Gambling Licence Is Granted

A gambling license in Cyprus is personal to the company. Article 23 says it cannot be transferred or assigned, and Article 24 requires written NBA consent before anyone acquires a significant interest or a beneficial owner changes. Monthly tax returns, player protection checks and renewal every one or two years follow.

Monthly Tax and Reporting

Each accounting month you calculate net revenue, the stakes received minus winnings paid, and pay 10% betting tax and 5% contribution by the end of the following month. Payment is by bank transfer only, with statements in Excel sent to the NBA. Late payment brings a 5% fine plus interest.

Selling or Restructuring the Company

Because the licence cannot be sold, a sale happens at company level, and it needs NBA consent first. The same applies to new investors above 5% and to any change of beneficial owner. A deal signed without consent can lead to suspension or revocation, so build the approval into any investment timeline.

Banking for a Licensed Betting Company in Cyprus

A licensed Cyprus bookmaker needs three things from its banks: a credit institution to issue the NBA guarantee, an operating account for player funds and payouts, and payment processing for deposits. Many banks are cautious with gambling, so the account works best when the licence file and the bank file are built together.

Why Gambling Companies Find Banking Hard

Banks class any holder of a Cyprus gambling license as high risk. They ask for the licence or the application, the ownership chart, source of funds and wealth, the AML framework and projected volumes, and many decline the sector outright. A refusal also stays on the record the next bank sees. Read more: bank account for a gambling company and the best banks for online casino and iGaming companies.

The Partner Route for Betting Companies

We work with a regulated partner that accepts licensed gaming companies and opens business accounts remotely. We build the file with you: the licence documents, the KYC pack and the business profile. For deposits, see payment gateways for sports betting and gambling payment gateways. For the wider picture on regular Cyprus banks, read the best banks for Cyprus companies.

Why Cyprus Betting Licence Applications Get Refused

Most refusals come from four gaps: capital or a guarantee that is not in place, owners who fail the fit and proper test, a system without a valid certificate, and a business plan that does not hold together. The NBA must give reasons, but the fee comes back with a 25% deduction, so every gap costs money.

An ownership chart that stops before the real owners is the most common problem on a Cyprus gambling license file. The NBA looks through every layer to anyone with 5% or more, and a missing source of wealth for one of them holds up the whole file. Map it fully before you file.

A product that drifts into banned games is the second. A website or plan that mentions casino, poker or virtual games invites questions, because Articles 83 to 87 ban them. Keep the Cyprus brand to betting only, and run other products from another licensed company.

Cyprus vs Malta and the Isle of Man for Gaming

Cyprus licenses betting for Cyprus players only, with high capital and a 15% charge on net revenue. Malta licenses casino, betting and poker for international players with lower capital. The Isle of Man suits operators who want a long-standing offshore regulator. Pick by product and market, not by fee alone.

Malta figures from the MGA Guidance Note on Licence Fees and Taxation (version December 24 v3). Cyprus wins only when your players are in Cyprus. For an international product, Malta's lower capital and wider scope usually make more sense.

Cyprus vs Malta

Malta's MGA licenses the products Cyprus bans, needs EUR 100,000 of capital for casino and betting types and charges a EUR 25,000 annual fee for B2C. Cyprus is the only legal route to Cyprus players. Many groups hold both. See how to start a sports betting company in Malta and our guide to Malta company formation.

Cyprus vs the Isle of Man

The Isle of Man licenses online casino and betting for international players under its own long-standing regime, with an island company and local substance. It suits groups that want an offshore base outside the EU. Our Isle of Man gambling licence guide sets out its fees and rules.

Who a Cyprus Gaming Licence Is Wrong For

A Cyprus gaming licence is wrong for casino, slots and poker operators, for start-ups without EUR 1 million of capital and guarantee available, and for businesses that want to serve players across Europe from one licence. It suits funded sportsbooks that want regulated access to the Cyprus market.

If your revenue comes mostly from casino games, a Cyprus gambling license cannot cover that product at all. If your capital is limited, the EUR 500,000 capital rule alone rules Cyprus out for now, and Malta's lower thresholds fit better. If you want a crypto product instead, see crypto company formation in Cyprus, which runs under a different regime.

Common Mistakes When You Obtain a Gaming License in Cyprus

The costly mistakes are paying the fee before the file is ready, leaving the guarantee to the end, mixing banned products into the plan and treating the ownership file as a formality. Each one delays the licence by months or costs part of the fee.

Paying the Fee Before the File Is Ready

Founders often file early to show progress. The NBA has no fixed deadline, so an incomplete file simply waits, and a refusal costs 25% of the fee, EUR 7,500 on a one-year Class B licence. Build every attachment first, then file once. It is faster and cheaper.

Leaving the Guarantee Until Last

The bank guarantee is a credit decision, and a bank can take weeks over it. Groups that start it after the company and the system are ready lose that time at the end. Ask the bank in the first week, with the ownership file and financials ready, so the guarantee arrives with the rest.

Planning a Casino Product Under a Betting Licence

Some plans add live casino or poker to a sportsbook as an upsell. In Cyprus that breaks Article 84, with penalties up to EUR 300,000, and it can sink the application. Keep the Cyprus plan to betting, and place casino products in a Malta or Isle of Man company.

Treating Owners as a Formality

Every holder of 5% or more is checked, with criminal records, bank statements and source of wealth. A single owner who cannot evidence their wealth stops the file. Collect these papers at the start, and adjust the structure if one investor cannot provide them.

Bottom Line

A Cyprus gaming licence is the only legal way to take online bets from players in Cyprus. It is a betting licence, not a casino licence, and it needs EUR 500,000 of capital, a bank guarantee, a certified system with a Cyprus backup server and a EUR 30,000 or EUR 45,000 fee.

With a gambling license in Cyprus, getting it wrong costs time and part of the fee, so the file matters more than speed. Build the company, the capital, the guarantee and the technical file first, then apply once. If your product is casino or poker, plan a second licence in Malta or the Isle of Man.

We form the Cyprus company, prepare the application with licensed advisers, set up KYC and AML on our own platform and open an account that accepts betting, with one team throughout.

Sources

• National Betting Authority, Fees (Betting (Payable Fees) Regulations of 2019)
• Betting Law of 2019, Law 37(I)/2019, English text published by the NBA
• NBA Directive 14.2025.v2, Calculation and Payment of Betting Tax and Contribution
• Cyprus Gaming and Casino Supervision Commission, The Commission
• Malta Gaming Authority, Guidance Note on Licence Fees and Taxation
• Cyprus Mail, NBA budget and market figures, 30 October 2026