Cyprus Sets The Agenda For Safer Gambling
Player protection, illegal gambling and the expanding use of technology to detect harmful behaviour will headline Cyprus’ 9th Safer Gambling Conference, which will bring together regulators, researchers and industry specialists in Nicosia on October 12.
Organised by the National Betting Authority for the ninth consecutive year, the conference will be held at the Hilton Hotel from 09.00 to 14.30 as part of Safer Gambling Week 2026.
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Under the theme The Future of Player Protection: Shaping a More Sustainable Gambling Industry Through Innovation, the programme will explore how regulation, scientific research, technology and innovation can strengthen safeguards for players while supporting a more responsible betting environment.
From Harm Prevention To Market Integrity
The agenda will address gambling-related harm, the psychological and biological factors that influence risk-taking, developments in the European regulatory landscape and practical measures to reinforce player protection.
Illegal gambling will receive particular scrutiny, with sessions focused on current market trends, enforcement challenges and the growing role of data and other tools in identifying and disrupting unlawful activity.
Global Experts Bring Legal, Research And Technology Insights
Among the international speakers is Joerg Hofmann, head of the Betting and Gaming Group at Germany’s Melchers Law Firm and a former president of the International Masters of Gaming Law. His work centres on gambling regulation and gaming law.
He will be joined by Quirino Mancini, partner and director of WH Partners Italy and immediate past president of the International Masters of Gaming Law, whose expertise spans gaming regulation, licensing and compliance.
The research perspective will be led by Michael Auer, an independent gambling researcher known for using real-world gambling data to analyse player behaviour, markers of harm and the impact of personalised feedback.
Technology and early intervention will also feature prominently, with Mindway AI Enterprise Partnership Lead Christina Savvouri taking part in the conference. Her work focuses on applying neuroscience, psychology and artificial intelligence to identify potentially harmful gambling behaviour at an earlier stage.
The programme also includes Francesco Rodano, Group Head of Responsible Gaming at Allwyn, who leads the company’s player-protection strategy across its lottery and gaming businesses.
Rodano previously served as Italy’s Director of Remote Gaming and later worked at Playtech, where he was involved with BetBuddy, an artificial intelligence-based behavioural analytics and player-protection platform.
From the regulatory side, Malta Gaming Authority Senior Executive Graziella Caffari will contribute experience spanning regulatory supervision, compliance, anti-money laundering and responsible gambling.
Cyprus Voices And Public Policy Perspective
Cyprus will also be represented by Chara A. Demetriou, president of the Cyprus Psychologists Association and Assistant Professor of Psychology at the American University of Beirut – Mediterraneo, whose work covers clinical psychology, mental health and prevention.
Lucy Herodotou Mouskou, Director of Financial Management of the Central Government Directorate at the Ministry of Finance, will bring a public-policy perspective shaped by her experience in gambling-related policy matters.
Other speakers include Slovenian legal and regulatory consultant Jaka Repansek, a member of the International Masters of Gaming Law, and Constantinos Daltas, Managing Director of RedWolf Ogilvy and chairman of the Cyprus Advertising Agencies Association.
A Broader Push For Responsible Gambling
The conference forms part of Safer Gambling Week 2026, which features awareness and information initiatives designed to encourage a more informed and responsible approach to betting and gambling, with a particular focus on prevention and the protection of young people and vulnerable groups.
The National Betting Authority is responsible for the licensing, regulation and supervision of betting activity in Cyprus under the Betting Law of 2019.
It also works with government services, industry stakeholders and international organisations on betting-related matters, while implementing measures aimed at preventing gambling addiction and protecting vulnerable groups.
