Cyprus regulators and lawmakers are examining mechanisms to prevent recipients of the guaranteed minimum income (GMI) from spending welfare payments on gambling. The local GMI programme is available to all island residents whose income does not cover basic needs.
The idea is not new: Brazil introduced a similar ban in 2025. At a parliamentary audit committee hearing last week, MPs, the data protection commissioner, representatives from the Welfare Benefits Administration Service (WBAS), the Gaming & Casino Supervision Commission and the National Betting Authority (NBA) discussed how to identify and restrict gambling activity among benefit recipients.
Harris Tsangarides, executive director of the Gaming & Casino Supervision Commission, said the regulator had noticed spikes in gambling activity on GMI payment dates. A technical solution to cross-reference welfare recipient lists with casino member databases is now under consideration. The problem is that access to banking data is restricted. WBAS director Giannis Vasiliadis noted that available data can flag suspicious activity but does not confirm gambling transactions directly.
Data protection commissioner Maria Christofidou said her office had revised a 2022 legal opinion and now sees grounds for more detailed access to banking information. MPs expressed concern about privacy violations and social stigmatisation of welfare recipients.
Christofidou proposed issuing GMI recipients with special cards for verification when entering gambling premises, but several MPs warned this would increase stigma. Existing legislation bars minors and the 'financially vulnerable' from gambling, but GMI recipients are not yet officially classified in that category.
Since 2024 the NBA has operated an online self-exclusion system that requires registration with a phone number, email and ID. Around 80% of bets in Cyprus are placed online, making that channel easier to monitor than anonymous offline wagers.
