The Cyprus Betting & Gaming Licence in 2026: Class A, Class B, Fees, Capital and the 15% Tax

The single most important thing to understand about "a Cyprus gaming licence" is that, in the casino sense, it does not exist for online operators. Cyprus regulates betting, not the wider world of iGaming: the National Betting Authority (NBA) licenses sports betting only, and the governing statute is the Betting Law of 2019.Betting Law of 2019, Law N.37(I)/2019

This guide gives you the direct answer on what is and is not licensable, the split between Class A and Class B, the capital and guarantee you must post, every fee, the 15% tax on net revenue, who is eligible to apply, and the realistic timeline. It assumes you will first need a Cyprus company — see the company registration guide— before you approach the Authority.

What is actually licensable in Cyprus in 2026?

Only betting is licensable, and only through the National Betting Authority. The NBA issues two licence classes — Class A for land-based betting and Class B for online betting — under the Betting Law of 2019. There is no separate online-casino or combined "iGaming" licence in Cyprus.

This is the point that trips up operators arriving from Malta or Curaçao, where a single licence can span sportsbook, casino and slots. In Cyprus the perimeter is narrow by design: the state licenses fixed-odds sports betting, keeps a monopoly-style carve-out for the national lottery and horse-racing tote, and prohibits the rest. The Authority also maintains a blocking list and enforces against unlicensed sites that accept Cyprus players.National Betting Authority, Regulated Entities registers

Class A or Class B: which licence do you need?

Class A authorises betting inside licensed physical premises (land-based shops) and excludes online services and horse racing. Class B authorises electronic (online) betting and excludes slot machines, online casino games and lotteries. An operator running both a shop network and a website needs both licences.

Class A operators also license individual premises and may appoint authorised representatives (agents), each carrying its own fee. Class B is the route the great majority of international operators care about, because one Class B licence covers the full online sports-betting offering permitted in Cyprus.National Betting Authority, Class A / Class B licence conditions

What is NOT allowed under a Cyprus betting licence?

Slot machines, online casino games of chance, lotteries, poker, betting exchanges, spread betting, and electronic horse and dog racing are all excluded. A Cyprus betting licence does not, and cannot, cover casino-style products delivered online.

• Online casino games (roulette, blackjack, live casino) — not licensable.
• Slot machines / online slots — not licensable.
• Lotteries — reserved outside the betting-licence regime.
• Online poker and peer-to-peer card games — not licensable.
• Betting exchanges and spread betting — excluded.
• Electronic horse racing and dog racing — excluded.

Land-based casino gaming in Cyprus is a wholly separate regime governed by the integrated-casino-resort legislation and its own regulator, not the NBA — and it is not open to general online applicants. If your business model is online casino or slots, Cyprus is not the licensing jurisdiction for the product itself, although a Cyprus company can still be a tax-efficient holding or services hub for a group licensed elsewhere.Betting Law of 2019, Law N.37(I)/2019, definition of Class B services

Who can apply, and what company structure do you need?

The applicant must be a company limited by shares that is either incorporated in the Republic of Cyprus or incorporated abroad and operating through a registered branch in Cyprus. Fit-and-proper checks apply to shareholders, directors and beneficial owners.

In practice almost every applicant incorporates a Cyprus private limited company for the purpose. That means meeting the standard Cyprus Ltd requirements on directors and share capital, appointing local officers, and passing the Authority's suitability review. Because the licensed company will carry real revenue, its statutory annual audit is effectively mandatory from day one — the review-engagement option for small companies will not be available to a regulated operator of this size.National Betting Authority, eligibility (company established in the Republic or branch of a foreign company)

What paid-up capital and bank guarantee are required?

An applicant must have a minimum €500,000 paid-up share capital and, separately, provide a €550,000 bank guarantee from a Cyprus or EU credit institution, valid for at least six months after the licence expires. These are cumulative, not alternative — budget for both.

The guarantee protects players and the state against unpaid winnings and unpaid betting tax; it must be issued by a bank or cooperative credit institution established in Cyprus or another EU member state. Because the €500,000 capital and the €550,000 guarantee are distinct, an operator needs to demonstrate access to roughly €1 million of committed funds before the Authority will grant the licence, on top of operating capital for platform, marketing and compliance.Betting Law of 2019, financial requirements (paid-up capital and bank guarantee)

What are the application and licence fees?

A Class A or Class B bookmaker licence costs €30,000 for one year or €45,000 for two years. Authorised-representative and additional premises licences (Class A) cost €2,000 per year each, with the first premises licence for each bookmaker issued free. Where an application is rejected, a large part of the fee is refunded.

These are statutory NBA fees only. They sit on top of incorporation, legal, platform-certification and ongoing compliance costs, and the two-year option is materially cheaper per year than annual renewal. Reported practice is that around three-quarters of the fee is refunded if the Authority rejects the application, so the fee is not entirely at risk.National Betting Authority, schedule of fees

How is a Cyprus betting operator taxed?

Licensed operators pay 15% on net betting revenue — stakes received less winnings paid out. Since the December 2024 amendment the headline rate is 15%: 10% to the Republic and a further 5% channelled through the Authority to sport, responsible-gaming and related funds. This betting tax is separate from the 15% corporate income tax on company profits.

Two different 15% figures apply and should not be confused. The betting tax is a turnover-style levy on net stakes, charged whether or not the company is ultimately profitable. The corporate income taxof 15% (from 1 January 2026) applies to the company's taxable profit under the ordinary rules in the Cyprus corporate tax guide. The 5% NBA contribution within the betting tax is sub-allocated to sports federations, a responsible-gaming fund and related purposes.Betting Law (as amended December 2024), 15% tax on net betting proceedsIncome Tax Law N.118(I)/2002 — 15% CIT from 1 Jan 2026

How long does the licensing process take?

The Authority runs a staged review — document evaluation, a gap-notification round, background and fit-and-proper checks, board review, and decision — and issues licences for one or two years. In practice, allow several months from a complete application, and start the clock only once the Cyprus company, capital and guarantee are in place.

The Authority does not publish a fixed statutory turnaround, so timing depends heavily on the quality of the file: incomplete ownership disclosures, unsatisfied fit-and-proper questions or an unready bank guarantee are the usual causes of delay. Sequencing matters — incorporate first, fund the €500,000 capital, arrange the €550,000 guarantee, then file — because a licence cannot issue until all financial conditions are demonstrably met.National Betting Authority, application process stages