More pressure in Cyprus

The police in Cyprus have upped the anti-online gambling pressure in a pre-festive season blitz that has included raids on two online gambling centres on the Mediterranean island.
Police spokesman Michalis Katsounotos revealed that premises in the Engomi and Lakatamia areas in Nicosia had been targeted as part of an intensified campaign to fight illegal gambling over the Christmas period.
“The operations will be intensified in view of the holidays and will cover all of the districts, with some of the operations taking place in premises where investigations have already taken place,” he said, reporting that in one night raid police teams seized five outside cameras, one computer used for storing CCTV footage, one laptop, 27 computer towers, three cheques and cash. Eight people were detained, including the owner and the manager.
He did not supply names or companies involved.
Katsounotos claimed that the raid in Lakatamia revealed that illegal betting was taking place on the premises, and that police raiders had found computers that transformed into gaming machines. From the Lakatamia premises 14 computer towers were confiscated as well as a total of Euro 2,000 in cash and cheques, along with other evidence.
According to official estimates, the annual turnover of online gambling in Cyprus is Euro 2.5 billion . The government has drafted laws banning the pastime, which have been submitted to the European Commission for approval.  A response is expected soon.

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