Cyprus doubles down on illegal gambling and AI-driven player protection

Cyprus must intensify action against illegal gambling while embedding consumer protection across the regulated sector, the National Betting Authority said at the country's 9th Safer Gambling Conference this month. Chairman Panayiotis Trisokkas argued that compliance alone is insufficient and that a mix of enforcement, public-health measures and technology — notably artificial intelligence and data analytics — is required to reduce gambling-related harm.

Regulator frames protection as the market foundation

National Betting Authority chairman Panayiotis Trisokkas opened the 9th Safer Gambling Conference by positioning consumer protection as the cornerstone of a sustainable gambling market. "A well-regulated market is a prerequisite for a sustainable market. And a sustainable market is one in which player protection is an integral part of its operation," Trisokkas said. He warned that meeting regulatory requirements alone does not guarantee adequate protection and called for continuous review of frameworks to match changing market conditions and emerging risks.

Delegates at the event — which marked the launch of Cyprus' ninth Safer Gambling Week — included academics, researchers, regulators and industry representatives from Cyprus and other jurisdictions. They examined illegal betting, artificial intelligence, public-health issues and trends in European regulation, with sessions on the psychological and biological drivers of risk-taking behaviour and the practical challenges regulators face when targeting illicit operators.

Technology as an early-warning and intervention tool

A significant portion of the conference focused on how artificial intelligence and data analytics can detect problematic gambling patterns earlier and enable more effective interventions. Trisokkas expressed confidence that such tools could sharpen understanding of player behaviour and improve protection measures across the sector.

Speakers discussed specific roles for digital technologies:

• monitoring transactional and behavioural data to flag early signs of harm

• supporting targeted interventions by operators and regulators

• enhancing enforcement efforts by prioritising investigative resources

Delegates explored how these capabilities intersect with enforcement and public-health responses, and how regulators might oversee algorithmic systems used by operators.

Enforcement and public health: a combined approach

The conference reiterated that tougher action against illegal operators must sit alongside preventive and supportive measures for consumers. Cyprus is seeking to strengthen its safer gambling framework by combining enforcement with technology to identify gambling-related harm.

Representing the Ministry of Finance, Lucy Herodotou Mouskou, director of financial management of the central government, highlighted the National Betting Authority's work while cautioning against prioritising industry growth over consumer welfare. She delivered a message from the Finance Minister stressing that economic prosperity and consumer protection must go hand in hand and that the state has a responsibility to provide support when individual limits are exceeded.

Safer Gambling Week ran a series of educational initiatives, awareness campaigns and interactive events under the slogan “Play within limits. Play safely.” The campaign targeted young people and vulnerable groups, aiming to promote self-control, recognition of harmful gambling behaviours and knowledge of support tools.

European context and regulatory discussion

Participants examined developments across European gambling regulation and the increasing recognition of gambling-related harm as a public-health issue rather than only a compliance matter. The conference discussion covered responsible advertising, the responsibilities of communications professionals and wider developments affecting Cyprus' regulated market. Several delegates referenced parallel efforts elsewhere in Europe to strengthen consumer safeguards and adapt oversight to new technologies.

Conference outcomes and next steps

Speakers collectively emphasised three pillars for reducing gambling-related harm in Cyprus: stronger enforcement against illegal operators, embedding player protection into industry operations, and adopting AI and data analytics to identify and respond to risk earlier. Safer Gambling Week activities aim to complement regulatory and enforcement measures by raising awareness and directing vulnerable consumers to support services.

"A well-regulated market is a prerequisite for a sustainable market," Panayiotis Trisokkas said, framing consumer protection as fundamental to market health.

The event did not announce new statutory measures at the conference itself but set out a strategic direction that pairs tougher action on illegal gambling with greater use of technology and public-health interventions to protect players across Cyprus. Several sessions referenced ongoing regulatory work across Europe and the need for continuous review of national frameworks to keep pace with market and technological change. For more on evolving oversight, see the regulation briefing and related b2b coverage of safer gambling initiatives.