Lawmakers and regulators in Cyprus are exploring ways to prevent recipients of the Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI), known locally as EEE, from using their welfare benefits for gambling. The GMI serves as a financial safety net, ensuring a legal minimum income for residents whose earnings do not meet their basic needs.
Cyprus is not the first to consider such a restriction; Brazil implemented a similar ban in 2025.
Members of parliament (MPs), alongside the Data Protection Commissioner and representatives from the Welfare Benefits Administration Service (WBAS), the Gaming & Casino Supervision Commission, and the National Betting Authority (NBA), convened last Thursday during a session of the House Audit Committee. They discussed strategies to identify and curtail gambling activities among GMI beneficiaries, as reported by Cyprus Mail.
The objective is to safeguard vulnerable households by ensuring that welfare funds are directed toward essential living costs. However, the enactment of these measures faces challenges concerning legal, technical, and privacy issues.
Harris Tsangarides, executive director of the Gaming & Casino Supervision Commission, noted a noticeable rise in gambling activity linked to GMI payment dates. This prompted the regulator to consider a “technical solution” to cross-reference GMI beneficiaries with casino membership records.
Giannis Vasiliadis, director of WBAS, highlighted a significant limitation: the restricted access to recipients' banking information. Although this limited data can suggest unusual activity, it cannot definitively confirm gambling transactions.
Data Protection Commissioner Maria Christofidou stated that her office has re-examined a 2022 legal opinion and identified a potential legal foundation for enhanced access to banking data.
However, several MPs expressed concerns about the risks of privacy violations that could arise from accessing this information, as well as the social stigma that might accompany it.
Christofidou proposed a dual approach for addressing gambling by suggesting that GMI recipients be issued special cards, allowing in-person verification at gambling venues. Some MPs cautioned, however, that this measure could further stigmatize those on welfare.
Present gambling laws already prohibit access for minors and individuals deemed “financially vulnerable,” but GMI recipients are not currently classified under these regulations.
The NBA operates an online self-exclusion scheme that has been in place since 2024. This requires users to register using a mobile number, email address, and identification. Given that about 80% of gambling in Cyprus occurs online, this method presents a more straightforward way to identify and exclude claimants compared to monitoring less visible betting at physical locations.
