MicroRNAs are short non-coding RNAs that play important roles in gliomas. However, the role of miR-130b in glioma remains unclear. In the present study, miR-130b expression was upregulated in glioma tissues and cell lines. Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that the upregulation of miR-130b expression correlated with poor prognoses in glioma patients. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that this upregulation and a high-grade classification were independent factors that both predicted poor outcomes for glioma patients. Dual-luciferase assays identified that the cylindromatosis (CYLD) gene is a direct target of miR-130b. Functional studies demonstrated that a miR-130b mimic significantly promoted the growth and invasion of glioma cells, while also inhibiting apoptosis via selective targeting of CYLD, which was enhanced by CYLD-targeted siRNA. In contrast, a miR‑130b inhibitor suppressed these biological behaviors, and this inhibition was reversed by CYLD-targeted siRNA. These data revealed that miR-130b could act as a novel potential diagnostic biomarker for glioma, while also demonstrating the importance of miR‑130b in the cell proliferation and progression of glioma, indicating that it may serve as a useful therapeutic target for glioma.