Lawmakers in Cyprus are currently exploring strategies to restrict recipients of the Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI) from using their state benefits for gambling. The GMI, locally referred to as EEE, acts as a safety net by providing a basic level of income to residents who do not earn enough to meet their essential needs.
As discussions continue, Cyprus observes a growing trend among various markets considering similar restrictions. Brazil, for instance, implemented a ban in 2025 that prevents welfare beneficiaries from gambling with their assistance payments.
During a recent session of the House Audit Committee on Thursday, members of parliament (MPs), the Data Protection Commissioner, and representatives from several agencies—such as the Welfare Benefits Administration Service (WBAS), the Gaming & Casino Supervision Commission, and the National Betting Authority (NBA)—met to address how to monitor and restrict gambling activities among GMI recipients, as reported by the Cyprus Mail.
The objective is to safeguard vulnerable families and ensure that welfare funds are directed towards key necessities. However, proposed initiatives face challenges related to legal issues, technicalities, and privacy concerns.
Harris Tsangarides, executive director of the Gaming & Casino Supervision Commission, pointed out that there has been an uptick in gambling activity synchronized with GMI disbursement dates. This observation has led regulators to consider using a "technical solution" that would compare GMI beneficiary lists with records of casino memberships.
Giannis Vasiliadis, director of WBAS, highlighted the problem of limited access to the banking information of recipients, which provides some indicators of potential suspicious behavior but lacks the ability to definitively confirm gambling transactions.
Data Protection Commissioner Maria Christofidou disclosed that her office has revisited a legal opinion from 2022, identifying a possible legal basis for obtaining more detailed access to recipients' banking data.
While various MPs have expressed concern regarding privacy violations and the associated social stigma of sharing such sensitive information, Christofidou suggested that a special identification card could be issued to GMI recipients for use in gambling venues. However, several lawmakers cautioned that this could lead to further stigmatization of those reliant on welfare.
Presently, gambling laws already prohibit participation from minors and individuals deemed “financially vulnerable.” However, GMI recipients are not yet formally classified in this manner under existing regulations. Since the NBA initiated an online self-exclusion program in 2024, which requires registrants to provide a mobile number, email address, and identification, it has become significantly easier to identify and exclude beneficiaries from online platforms—a crucial step considering that approximately 80% of gambling activity in Cyprus takes place online, compared to traditional betting venues.
