Responsible Gambling Help Centre Opens in Cyprus

Professional help is now available for people who are experiencing problems with their gambling in Cyprus with the opening of a treatment center in Ayios Athanasios, Limassol.

The Cyprus Gaming and Casino Supervision Commission have opened a center which will offer help to anyone who is suffering due to problems with their gambling as well as offering education and advice for what is becoming a widespread problem.

At the launch of the treatment center, which is named Pharos, the Cyprus tourism minister praised the investment which has gone into this project but emphasized that much more needs to be done.

The largest casino in Europe is set to open in Limassol in the summer of 2022, so there will definitely be more challenges along the way regarding problem gambling, so a national infrastructure must be put in place to tackle this problem.

An important consideration for the Commission is how the operator protects the welfare and interests of its customers. We continue to work with the operator and other partners to prevent and minimize potentially harmful effects of gaming upon Cypriot society, particular minors and vulnerable groups. A good example of innovative technology being introduced by the operators and approved by the Commission is the use of facial recognition software, implemented in the past year to improve the capability of the operator to identify persons excluded from the casino for reasons associated with problem gambling, AML compliance, cheating or inappropriate behavior.

Christos MavrellisDeputy Chairman of Cyprus Gaming and Casino Supervision Commission