Cyprus lawmakers and regulators are considering measures to prevent recipients of the Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI) from using welfare payments for gambling. Options under discussion include checking banking data and matching beneficiary information against gambling platform records.
Known locally as EEE, the GMI is a social benefit designed to provide a minimum income to residents whose earnings are insufficient to meet basic needs.
Authorities examine access to bank data
During a House Audit Committee session, MPs, the Data Protection Commissioner, the Welfare Benefits Administration Service (WBAS), the Gaming & Casino Supervision Commission and the National Betting Authority discussed ways to identify and restrict gambling activity among GMI recipients.
The discussion follows observations by the gambling regulator of spikes in gambling activity around GMI payment dates. Gaming & Casino Supervision Commission Executive Director Harris Tsangarides said the regulator was considering a technical solution to cross-reference GMI beneficiary lists with casino membership records.
Access to banking information remains limited, however. WBAS Director Giannis Vasiliadis said available data could indicate suspicious activity but could not conclusively confirm individual gambling transactions.
Two options under consideration
Data Protection Commissioner Maria Christofidou said her office had revisited a 2022 legal opinion and now sees a potential legal basis for more detailed access to beneficiaries' banking information.
Several MPs nevertheless warned about privacy risks and the possibility of stigmatizing people receiving welfare support.
Another proposal involves issuing GMI recipients with a special card that could be used for identification at land-based gambling venues. MPs also raised concerns that such a system could create social stigma.
Cyprus gambling legislation already restricts participation by minors and people classified as financially vulnerable. GMI recipients, however, are not currently automatically included in that category.
Online gambling could make enforcement easier
The National Betting Authority has operated an online self-exclusion system since 2024. Users must provide a mobile number, email address and identification document to register.
Around 80% of gambling in Cyprus takes place online, making digital platforms a potentially more practical way to identify GMI recipients and restrict their access to gambling services.
No final decision has yet been made on which mechanism Cyprus will adopt. The debate is continuing around data protection requirements, technical feasibility and the need to prevent welfare payments from being used for gambling.
Source: iGaming Business
