National Betting Authority warns against illegal online betting

The National Betting Authority (NBA) on Thursday warned the public to be wary of illegal betting activity, especially online, which it said has proliferated.

In a statement, the NBA cited as an example the webpage https://parimatchcyprus.com.cy/, which features false and misleading information. Once accessed, the website redirects to https://n1bet.com/en-CA?modal=signUp, which provides illegal betting services, as it lacks a permit pursuant to the relevant legislation.

The NBA clarified that another website (www.parimatch.com.cy) does hold a Class B permit to provide betting services. But the webpage is currently down for technical reasons.

It advised members of the public to exercise extra caution and learn about which companies are lawfully licensed, by visiting its own website at www.nba.gov.cy.

The NBA recalled that lawful betting activities are carried out by brick-and-mortar premises holding a Class A permit, games of chance offered by Opap Cyprus (such as Kino or Joker), the state lottery and private lotteries licensed by the government, horse racing in premises licensed by the Racing Club, and the games of chance offered at the casino resort and the casino satellites supervised by the Gaming & Casino Supervision Commission.

Illegal betting activities are any activities carried out with a mechanical, electrical or electronic device, where a player must pay in cash or in tokens for the purpose of making a profit, where these activities are not licensed by the NBA. This may include slot machines, poker games, bingo, betting exchanges and spread bets.

In relation to online betting, the NBA said that activities are lawful if the provider holds a Class B permit issued by the authority. Likewise, any activities not licensed by the NBA are unlawful.

For the public’s consideration, the NBA has uploaded to its website a blocking list for websites operating without a permit or operating unlawfully, at https://nba.gov.cy/wp-content/uploads/BlockingListLatest.txt.