Betting in Cyprus as a British expat
Cyprus hosts one of the biggest British expat communities in the sun, and a betting law with real teeth: a licensed sports market, a 22,000-domain blocklist, and, unusually for Europe, penalties aimed at the player.
Updated August 2026
The short version. Online sports betting is legal with National Betting Authority licensed books, and bet365 is the one big UK name holding a licence. Online casino, poker and exchanges are illegal outright. William Hill, Sky Bet and Ladbrokes are ISP-blocked. Betting on an unlicensed site is a criminal offence for the bettor in Cyprus, so this is a country to play strictly inside the lines. Winnings are not taxed.
What happens to your UK accounts
bet365 survives the move: it holds a Cyprus Class B licence through a local entity, so you register on the Cypriot side with fresh verification. Expect the sportsbook only; Cyprus law does not permit the casino, games or poker products, which surprises everyone used to the full bet365 suite. William Hill, Sky Bet and Ladbrokes hold no Cypriot licence and their domains sit on the official blocklist, so those accounts are done. Withdraw before you move.
The licensed field
Thirteen books hold Class B online licences. Alongside bet365, the strongest are Stoiximan and Novibet, the Greek-market leaders with full Premier League coverage, plus locals like Bet on Alfa and Meridianbet. The NBA publishes the licence register, so any site can be checked in a minute before you deposit.
The part that is different: player liability
Most European countries punish the unlicensed operator and leave the customer alone. Cyprus wrote it the other way too: participating in illegal betting is an offence carrying a fine of up to €50,000 and up to a year in prison. Prosecutions of ordinary online punters appear rare, and we found no reported case of an expat charged for a football bet, but the law is unambiguous and the blocklist, more than 22,000 domains and updated weekly, shows the regulator is paying attention. With a legal market this reachable, taking that risk to use a blocked site is simply a bad bet.
No online casino, no exceptions
Class B licences cover sports betting only. Online slots, casino games, poker and betting exchanges are illegal in the Republic, and no licensed operator offers them. Anyone offering them to you from a .com domain is operating illegally in Cyprus, with everything that implies for your money and your legal position.
Money matters
Winnings from licensed betting are not taxed for players; the 10% figure you may see quoted online is the operators’ revenue tax, misread. Licensed books run on cards and standard payment rails, in euros, with no FX pain for local accounts. Large payouts get reported for anti-money-laundering checks, not taxed.
Not in Cyprus? See which bookmakers accept British expats where you actually live, vetted for licence and payout record.
See the vetted bookmakersThis page contains no paid placements and no affiliate links; every bookmaker named here is included on merit. Some links elsewhere on this site are affiliate links: how this site is funded. This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice; gambling law depends on your country of residence and changes. Updated August 2026.