Where to Play Online Poker in Cyprus 2025

Best Cyprus Poker Sites

The situation with online poker in Cyprus is quite difficult. The very type of activity, online poker, is prohibited in the country. At the same time, there are a large number of international platforms that don’t block players from Cyprus. We’ve independently checked such sites and selected a list of the safest ones for playing if you’re currently in Cyprus.

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GGPoker

GGPoker is the world's leader in online poker. In Cyprus, the poker room operates under a license from the Maltese regulator and fully complies with modern security standards.

Cypriot players get access to the global GGPoker pool with hundreds of cash tables for Texas Hold'em (NLH), Omaha (PLO) and Shortdeck. For fans of dynamic play, there are fast Rush&Cash tables.

The tournament lobby features exclusive SnG formats: Spin&Gold, AoF, Flip&Go, as well as dozens of MTTs and series events (WSOP Online, Bounty Hunters and others) with total guarantees of tens of millions of dollars.

GGPoker player receives a 100% bonus up to $600 or $100 in tickets for the first deposit. The Fish Buffet loyalty program returns up to 60% of the rake, and participation in regular races allows you to increase this percentage.

BetOnline Poker

BetOnline is an offshore online poker room of the Chico network with a Panama license, open to players from Cyprus. It has been operating for over 20 years and has earned a reputation as a reliable platform.

Main games:

• Cash tables NLH, PLO, PLO5/6 with limits up to $5/$10.
• Fast Boost Poker up to NL$50.
• SnG and Windfall Spins with buy-ins up to $100.
• MTT with guarantees up to $200K.

Welcome bonus - 100% up to $1,000 on your first deposit. Daily races for cash games, SnG and Windfall. There is no loyalty program, but there is a VIP deal with rakeback from WPD.

Deposits and withdrawals are available only in cryptocurrency (BTC, USDT, ETH, etc.), which ensures fast and anonymous transactions.

CoinPoker

CoinPoker is the largest cryptocurrency poker site for those who value complete anonymity. The RNG and security elements work on the blockchain, and verification is not required.

Coinpoker offers ring cash tables for Hold'em and Omaha (4- and 5-card) up to $200/$400. The main traffic comes from 7-max tables, but there is action for HU and 4-max. Tournaments range from freerolls to events with guarantees of up to $100K.

The first deposit will be matched 150% bonus up to $2,000. Every Monday, players receive a fixed 33% rakeback for the previous week.

Deposits and withdrawals are available only in cryptocurrency (the main ones are USDT and CHP).

Is online poker legal in Cyprus?

While online poker used to exist in a grey area in Cyprus, in 2019, the Betting Law (Law 37(I)/2019) clearly defined it as an illegal activity. No legal operators can offer online poker services within the country. Moreover, there’s a list of prohibited sites that must be blocked by any Internet operator in the country.

Licensed land-based casinos and sportsbooks are permitted in the country. All other types of gambling, including online poker, remain unregulated.

Many Cypriots still access offshore poker sites even though it’s illegal, and they can be technically punished for it. In reality, enforcement against individual players is extremely rare, but it’s still a risk.

Unfortunately, playing online poker even from your own home is a violation. You are violating both the Betting Law and elements of the Cyprus Criminal Code. If you’re caught on this action, you can face fines up to €50,000 and/or imprisonment of up to one year.

Of course, unlicensed operators will face even higher penalties (€170,000–€1,000,000 fines), including multi-year prison terms and heavy financial fines.

Payment methods in Cyprus

The choice of payment methods will greatly depend on the site you plan to play on. Of course, given the illegality of online poker in Cyprus, one of the safest options will be cryptocurrency. This is an anonymous and fast method, although it requires you to have basic skills in using crypto wallets. Here are the most common options.

Online poker taxation in Cyprus

Since online poker is prohibited under Cypriot law, there’s no clear tax framework specifically governing winnings from it. For now, the situation is more about considering winnings as a permanent income, i.e., professional, or periodic cash receipts. If you play poker for your own pleasure from time to time, such winnings will not be taxed. Although the fact of them in itself will be a violation of the law in Cyprus. If you’re a professional player, your winnings will be considered permanent income and therefore subject to income tax (0% to 35%).

Live poker and casinos in Cyprus

If you can't access online poker or simply don't want to, you can visit offline casinos, which operate legally in many cities.

The main hub is the City of Dreams Mediterranean in Limassol, the island’s first and only integrated resort casino. It’s operated by Melco Resorts & Entertainment. The casino hosts a poker room and allows local players and tourists. There are also several licensed satellite casinos operated under the same brand in cities like Nicosia, Larnaca, and Paphos. 

Live Poker

Citizens and guests of Cyprus can play live poker legally, but in licensed land-based casinos only. The Casino Operations and Control Law of 2015 established the Cyprus Gaming and Casino Supervision Commission. Now, the exclusive casino rights are given to one operator (Melco) to run the integrated resort in Limassol and its satellite venues.

Major live poker tournaments regularly held in Cyprus include:

These events make Cyprus a top place for poker tourism in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Famous poker players from Cyprus

The leader of the Cyprus All Time Money List is Yiannis Liperis with over $4M+ in live tournament winnings, twice as many as Peter Costa, who is in second place.

Liperis has been a regular in live tournaments for over 15 years. He spent his first few years playing mainly in the UK, and since 2016 he has been a regular at various series in Las Vegas.

Yiannis's biggest career cash (€406,670) came from winning 1st place in the €2,200 EPT Monte Carlo.
The best result among Cypriots in a series held on the island was shown by Georgios Tsouloftas. In 2024, he became the runner-up of the EPT Main Event at the Merit Casino and won $642,300.

Players from Cyprus have two WSOP bracelets:

• Georgios Skarparis won the $1K Mini Main Event ($554,925) in 2024
• Menikos Panayiotou won the $1,500 Eight Game Mix ($180,783) in 2022

Conclusion

Poker fans won’t be able to find legal and licensed online gambling sites in the country. They simply don’t exist. But you can visit a land-based casino and play legally. However, the choice of these isn’t very large. Basically, we mean City of Dreams Mediterranean in Limassol. If you’re ready to take a risk, you can visit an offshore poker site. But it’s better to choose it from our list so as not to risk your deposits and time.

Responsible gambling

Even though online poker is banned in Cyprus, players can access a large number of offshore platforms, so responsible gaming is something to keep in mind. In addition to the basic rules that you can learn on any online platform, you can also contact special support lines in Cyprus.

For example, by calling 1454, you will receive quick help and advice. There’s also the National Betting Authority’s Responsible Gambling Center in the country, which was specially created to assist with problems with gambling addiction.

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