The National Betting Authority (NBA) has refused to renew the operating licence for Bookieco Betting Stores Ltd, a major provider with ties to the businessman currently held in custody over a series of alleged crimes in Larnaca.
In a move that effectively shuts down the company’s domestic operations, the NBA announced on Wednesday that the Class A licence for the “BookieCo” brand expired on 09 February 2026. Consequently, the firm is prohibited from offering betting services across the Republic or through its network of authorised agents as of 10 February. The regulatory intervention marks a significant escalation in the state’s response to the underworld violence in Larnaca, as authorities pivot from criminal prosecutions to dismantling the commercial interests of those allegedly involved in organized crime.
The decision follows the recent arrest of the 48-year-old businessman, whose legal troubles have expanded from a central Larnaca shooting to the discovery of a “torture chamber” operating out of a casino in Pyla.
While the NBA did not explicitly link the licence termination to the criminal probe, the timing aligns with a broader push by Justice Minister Costas Fytiris to squeeze the financial lifelines of criminal networks. Under the Betting Law of 2019, the Authority possesses broad discretionary powers to revoke or refuse licences based on the “fit and proper” status of directors and shareholders.
The Law Office is expected to monitor any potential appeals from the company, which is registered at Quality Towers in Larnaca.
The NBA has advised the public that all betting activities within BookieCo premises and those of its agents are now illegal.
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