“If your child broke their arm, would you try to fix it yourself?”
“Of course not. You’d rush to a doctor. You’d follow instructions. You’d seek out specialists. Gambling addiction is no different. It’s an injury, invisible, but just as real. And if you ignore it, it gets worse.”
That’s how a father, Paul -not his real name- speaking on condition of anonymity, describes the long and painful journey of watching his teenage son, no student, spiral into online gambling addiction, a journey that began with casual bets and ended in financial ruin and emotional breakdown. His voice is not just a cry of anguish. It is a warning.
Online gambling in Cyprus is exploding and Cypriot teens now lead Europe in online betting. The platforms are addictive. Support systems are weak. The problem is systematic. And families, like his, are left trying to hold together what’s already broken.
Politis to the point also spoke with Panayiotis Trisokkas, President of the National Betting Authority, about what is being done and what still needs to be done in order to underage gambling, regulate online platforms, and support addicted youth.
Glamour vs. Reality
From the spinning wheels of Monte Carlo to the neon-lit poker rooms of Las Vegas, gambling has long been wrapped in the seductive mystique of Casino Royale, all tuxedos, martinis, and high-stakes glamour. But in reality, the human reality, most “games of chance” are as tragic as Dostoyevsky’s Gambler, a descent into obsession, addiction, and ruin.
In today’s online betting reality and 24/7 availability, fate is determined by countless algorithms. A dangerous habit turned into a digital compulsion. And the age of those affected is dropping rapidly, both in Cyprus and across Europe.
Where you least expect it
The story starts like so many others, not in hardship, but in comfort. This wasn’t a neglected child. On the contrary, he was cherished. Academically strong, athletic, well-liked, and raised by an engaged family with every resource at hand. If anything, he had everything going for him.
In high school, the circle of friends widened. Then came military service and the first encounter with casual betting. A few euros here and there, a “harmless” wager. At first, the parents were aware but not alarmed.
That changed just before university. “I found envelopes from the bank with his savings statements,” the father recalls. “We had been saving for years, us, his grandparents, his godparents and with his school savings, he should’ve had at least €20,000. Well, the account had only ten cents.”
From that moment, things escalated. The family increased financial oversight, tracking spending and account activity. But it wasn’t enough, as this is not "just a bad habit,” the father explains. It’s an injury, which cannot be fixed by parents alone without the help of experts. "If untreated, it gets worse", Paul says and "even after the cast comes off, you need rehabilitation. And sometimes, no matter what, it never fully heals. That’s what gambling addiction is like.”
The University Years: Signs, Denial
Despite their efforts to monitor his finances, the problem followed him abroad, at university.
The second wake-up call came unexpectedly: “The landlord of the apartment we had rented for him contacted us. He said rent payments had stopped coming in. Our son denied it.”
That denial, the father says, marked a turning point. “We realized he had started lying and lying easily. As a couple, we disagreed on how to handle it. One of us was too soft, pitying him, giving in. I was pushing, wanted to bring him back home and confront the problem head-on. We clashed constantly. But if parents aren’t aligned, the child falls through the cracks. This is crucial.”
The Lockdown Effect
Then came the pandemic. The COVID-19 lockdown forced the student to return home. And while it might have seemed like a chance for healing, it was as the father put it- “the final blow.”
“We thought he was safe at home with us. But for vulnerable people, the isolation of the pandemic only deepened the cracks,” the father explains. “Communication with others faded. Even inside the house, we barely spoke. His training sessions stopped. His world shrank.”
And into that void, gambling expanded.
The father raises a cry of concern: “The state has not addressed the emotional toll the pandemic had on children and teenagers i.e. the loneliness, the fear, the sadness, the sense of being crushed. We overlooked all of it.”
Out in the Open, but Still Untreated
At this point, the gambling was no longer hidden. The desire was overwhelming. One parent contacted a psychologist. The other was still reluctant to make the issue public.
“So it stayed under the rug,” the father admits. “And the lack of expertise and support structures in Cyprus only made things worse, even as the problem grew.”
He describes the relentlessness of online gambling: “It’s there 24 hours a day, seven days a week. A casino closes eventually. But the screen is always with you. No one’s watching. You’re in your own world. It’s constant access, constant adrenaline.”
Then he offers a chilling example:
“One time he won a big sum, around €8,000. He gambled it all in an hour. A non-addicted person would’ve enjoy the win and walk away. But that’s not how online betting works. There’s no off switch. You keep going. That’s how the system is built.”
Eventually, the young man agreed to seek help. A treatment center was found abroad, right next to his student dorm. He attended the meetings a couple of times but then quit. “He said he didn’t like it,” the father says, with quiet frustration.
Downward Spiral: Grades, Threats, Emotional Collapse
By his third year, the situation had worsened dramatically. Tensions at home escalated. Finances grew strained. The student’s academic performance deteriorated. He began making alarming threats unless his parents sent more money. He felt abandoned by friends, while his girlfriend broke up with him.
“In those four years, he lost over €30,000 just in gambling,” says the father. “And that’s not counting the money he borrowed from friends, relatives, even acquaintances, which of course, was up to us to pay back.”
Fortunately, he never became entangled with loan sharks or illegal bookmakers. Rent payments were redirected to landlords. Eventually, the family informed relatives. However, his fourth year of studies was lost. Staying abroad no longer made sense, but the options were limited. By the fifth year of studies, the situation had become a nightmare.
But Cyprus is simply not equipped for this crisis, Paul insists.
“There are no real structures. No coordinated response. And the online world is relentless, 24/7 access, anonymity, and no oversight. It’s terrifying.”
“I saw the depression in his eyes,” the father recalls. “He prefers being alone. We try to keep him functioning. But the pain keeps coming back. The trauma gets deeper.”
National Betting Authority (NBA)
A National Crisis in the Making
Cyprus currently has the highest rate of teen online gambling in Europe, 37% of adolescents, according to a recent pan-European study.
To understand the broader response, Politis spoke with Panayiotis Trisokkas, President of the National Betting Authority (NBA).
“Exposure to gambling starts as early as 12 years of age,” Trisokkas says, pointing out that while the industry contributes over 3.6% to the GDP, the Authority is investing heavily in prevention.
The Authority enforces age restrictions, mandates ID checks, and has shut down over 1,000 illegal accounts. It also operates a helpline (1456) for youth up to 22, and partners with the Ministry of Education on school programmes like:
Game Brain: An interactive education campaign on gambling risks.
Alliance for Children and Youth: Social skills workshops, counselling, and emotional literacy training.
Young Cities: Skill-building for youth aged 14–35.
In collaboration with the Cyprus National Addictions Authority (NAAC), two adult treatment centers were launched in Famagusta and Paphos.
The Ad Factor
Trisokkas acknowledges the role of marketing:
“Gambling ads are powerful. They target sports fans, often minors. We’ve restricted their content, timing, and placement. But more needs to be done.”
All gambling advertisements must be pre-approved, include age filters on social media, and comply with the Authority’s Advertising Code. Violations are punished, he says, even though he admits that technology evolves faster than regulations.
He avoids the word “gambling,” preferring “games of chance,” and insists the term reinforces regulation and legality, though critics argue it downplays the risks.
What Parents Can Do
“The most important thing is awareness,” Trisokkas says. “Talk to your children. Watch for changes. And seek help early. It’s not just about banning access, it’s about building resilience.”
He told Politis that the Authority is drafting new legislation, including:
- B2B licensing [granted to companies that supply products or services to licensed gambling operators]
- Operator commitments to safe play [casinos, betting companies, online platforms must commit to policies and tools that reduce gambling harm]
- Financial blocking systems in cooperation with banks [payment providers to block transactions to unlicensed or illegal gambling operators]
No Dream Come True, but Still Hope Ahead
Meanwhile, back home, Paul watches his son struggle through a fifth year of addiction. The family is exhausted, divided, and drained both emotionally and financially.
“The fracture is no longer a crack,” he says. “It’s a full-on break! And all we do now is try to keep it functioning. The pain returns. The cycle begins again.”
He fears what may come next.
That his son might commit a crime just to fund a bet.
That he might harm himself.
“We are constantly on edge. Trying to relieve the pain. Hoping it doesn’t get worse.”
While the road ahead remains uncertain and steep, the story of Paul’s family stands as a plea to other parents, policymakers, and educators:
This isn’t just a phase. It’s a public health issue. And the time to act is now.
If you are concerned about your child’s involvement with betting and gambling:
Call 1456, the Adolescent & Family Counseling Centre for minors and young people up to 22 years old.
Therapeutic Centres “Kinitro”:
Archbishop Makarios III 39, Apt. 21, 5280, Paralimni. Tel: 23250313
Agios Theodoros 13, 8047 Paphos Tel: 70009407
