Cyprus strengthens fight against illegal gambling

The Cyprus National Betting Authority is preparing a significant expansion of its powers. The organisation’s head, Panayiotis Trisokkas, announced that a drafted bill will provide the regulator with additional mechanisms to effectively counter the illegal gambling market. The main objective of the new measures is not only to suppress illegal platforms but also to strengthen the system for protecting players’ rights.

Statistics on banned resources

According to leadership data, the regulator’s current blacklist contains 22,660 banned websites. Only during the second quarter of the current year, another 245 new addresses were added to it. Trisokkas expressed hope for the rapid progress of the document but did not specify any dates.

The need for interdisciplinary cooperation

In the fight against shadow gambling, the expert emphasises, coordination of actions among state bodies, technology companies, and payment operators is required. He paid particular attention to the role of social media and digital advertising. The modern reality complicates the distinction between ordinary entertainment content and the promotion of gambling through influencers.

The role of artificial intelligence in data protection

Panayiotis Trisokkas also drew attention to the potential of artificial intelligence and data analytics. These technologies allow for the timely identification of signs of risky user behaviour. At the same time, according to him, any application of such tools must strictly comply with legislative requirements regarding confidentiality and personal data protection.