MPs push for tighter bank checks on welfare recipients' gambling

Members of the House Audit Committee reviewed ways to tighten and automate checks on welfare recipients' bank data, including cross-checks with casinos and betting companies, continuing their examination of an Audit Office report on the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare. The session focused on giving the Welfare Benefit Administration Service access to more detailed bank account data for benefit recipients, as the Service currently receives only limited information such as account balances. Service director Giannis Vasiliadis explained that the current data could point to cases needing further investigation, citing a case where a beneficiary had around three thousand euros in her account before receiving a five-thousand-euro grant for solar panels, leading to a suspension of her payments until the source of the money was clarified.

The committee addressed concerns about the burden placed on citizens to obtain additional bank data, with one MP arguing that once authorisation is given, the state should handle the rest. The Personal Data Protection Commissioner's office revised its 2022 position, now finding a legal basis for obtaining detailed account statements through an existing decree. A banking sector representative confirmed that banks can technically send statements directly in PDF format if legal conditions are met. The committee also discussed fees of one to five euros that banks charge for issuing statements, agreeing that a direct state service data exchange should not involve charging the beneficiary.

Particular attention was given to Guaranteed Minimum Income (GMI) recipients' gambling activity. Haris Tsangarides, executive director of the National Authority for Gaming and Casino Supervision, noted that gambling activity rises during the month GMI payments are made, prompting contacts with the Welfare Benefit Administration Service. A technical solution is being prepared to check whether casino card applicants are GMI recipients through an ID number system returning only a yes-or-no answer. Tsangarides added that mandatory casino card use from mid-2027 will significantly improve player identification. The National Betting Authority reported that eight in ten players now bet online, where the self-exclusion platform operational since 2024 could technically block GMI recipients from licensed sites if legislation passes. Data protection officials, however, cautioned that linking recipient registries with gambling authorities would require a clear legislative basis. The discussion took place against Audit Office findings that identified weaknesses in obtaining credit institution information and the lack of unified, interconnected information systems.

(Source：Latest News In Cyprus)