Greece

Greece's gambling market combines steady commercial growth with a tightening enforcement posture aimed at the unlicensed sector's promotional layer. The EEEP reported 2025 licensed-market gross gaming revenue of EUR 3.07 billion, up 6.7% year-on-year, against a standing unlicensed shadow market. The Hellenic Gaming Commission, under the Ministry of Finance, has moved from statutory enactment of Law 5313/2026 to active enforcement, filing legal complaints against 18 social-media influencers with a combined 3.6 million followers for promoting unlicensed gambling. The Finance Minister has stated illegal gambling is now designated a criminal and economic threat, with Law 5313/2026 already being actively implemented. This combination of market growth alongside enforcement intensity characterises the current regulatory disposition toward operators and their promotional intermediaries.

## Regulated Greece has a regulated gambling market and has recently rolled out a new, modernised licensing regime. Online gambling is generally permitted and regulated, where licensees are able to operate online casinos, poker games and offer betting services on sporting and other events. Regulatory authority over the Greek gambling industry is held by the Hellenic Gaming Commission (the HGC). Whilst the new regime appears to still be in nascent stage, recently implemented regulations have a high degree of sophistication where compared to many other jurisdictions. Whilst Greece may present an attractive opportunity for some established international operators, (particularly given its moderate population size and fair appetite for gambling services), high fees and taxation as well as tight wager restrictions in respect of some games may temper enthusiasm. There are currently 16 online operators holding licences for online betting (type 1) and 17 online operators holding licences for online games (other than betting – type 2). The licensing procedure is open and anyone meeting the legal requirements may apply for online licence type 1, type 2 or both. Gambling (or “Games of Chance”) are defined in Greek law as “games whose results depend on chance, at least in part, and involve a financial risk from the player” via Article 25(b) of Law No. 4002/2011. Laws 4141/2013 and 4635/2019 amended Law No. 4002/2011, adding to the definition of Games of Chance the “Mixed Games”, i.e te combination of skill and chance, and the Online Games of Chance. Gambling games are therefore differentiated from skill games where the outcome is deemed to be based in any way on an element of chance. The full definition for skill games is provided in Article 25(a) of Law No. 4002/2011 as being “games whose outcome depends solely or primarily on the skills and mental abilities of the player and performed in public for recreational purposes, without allowing players to place a bet and without any form of financial benefit to the player.” Greek law does not permit persons under 18 years of age to take part in gambling activities and under 21 years to take part in online gambling activities deeming such individuals to be minors. 2025–2026 Update: Since the last update of this report (01.07.2025), the core licensing and regulatory framework for online gambling in Greece remains unchanged. However, enforcement practice, policy priorities and announced reforms have evolved significantly, particularly in relation to illegal online gambling, advertising controls and a broader strategic review of the gambling market. These developments are expected to shape regulatory risk and compliance expectations during 2026. ## Market size 2020 saw a strong performance for the online gambling sector in Greece, with total GGR for relevant operators reaching EUR 562.773 million. This haul represents an increase of 28% where compared to the corresponding 2019 figure. Some report that online gambling is expected to reach EUR 1B in annual turnover by 2024. In parallel, recent public estimates place the size of the illegal online gambling market in Greece at approximately €1.6–1.7 billion annually (figures reported variously as market value or GGR depending on source). The scale of the unlicensed market has become a key policy driver behind intensified enforcement and announced legislative reform. ## Top Key Attractions and Challenges ## Attractions Fast growing market with relatively light touch compliance Greeks have one of the highest propensities for gambling in the world All forms of Casino and Betting are licensable ## Challenges Relatively high taxes High minimum guarantee and capitalisation requirements Some wagering limits are in place

Payment to participate and pay-outs must be made by credit institutions, payment institutions or electronic money institutions established in Greece or another member state of the EU or EEA. Payment by cryptocurrency is prohibited and HGC has previously blacklisted websites permitting payment by cryptocurrency. Credit betting is also forbidden in relation to slot machines. Cryptoassets are not among the permitted deposit and withdrawal methods listed in Article 25.3 of Ministerial Decision 79835/2020. The active Hellenic AML Authority investigation centres on cash deposits via affiliate retailers credited to player accounts, directly implicating deposit-channel and funding-method integrity as live enforcement priorities. This affiliate-retailer cash-deposit vector is the primary payments risk identified recently: operators maintaining retail distribution networks or affiliate-retailer deposit arrangements must ensure these channels are subject to full KYC and transaction-monitoring controls equivalent to direct player deposits. The draft EEEP reform bill's facilitation-sanction regime — administrative financial sanctions of EUR 1,000 to EUR 2m per violation for ISPs, advertisers and third parties facilitating illegal gambling — can reach payment-adjacent intermediaries handling illegal gambling flows, extending the enforcement perimeter to payment processors and financial intermediaries. No standalone payments instrument or cross-border capital control specific to gambling has been identified beyond the AML scrutiny and facilitation-liability provisions. Greece operates within the EU single market payments framework, and no gambling-specific payment blocking regime analogous to those of prohibition jurisdictions has been identified. Permitted withdrawal methods and withdrawal timeline obligations are not covered here; operators should verify current EEEP technical standards for withdrawal processing.

Online Gaming MarketingThe Hellenic Gaming Commission has regulatory oversight for gambling advertisements. Only licensed operators are permitted to advertise gambling products or services. The advertising of unlicensed gambling products can be sanctioned via a minimum two-year prison sentence and a fine of up to EUR 200,000. Forthcoming reform (announced):The regulator has publicly indicated that a new legislative package planned for 2026 will introduce enhanced powers to immediately suspend or prohibit advertising for illegal gambling services, including action against affiliates, media outlets, influencers and advertising networks that promote unlicensed operators. This would mark a shift from reliance on post-factum criminal sanctions to faster administrative intervention. Law 4002/2011 contains restrictions put in place on the advertising or marketing of gambling products to consumers located in Greece. Prominently, Article 35 dictates that all forms of advertising must feature information concerning player age restrictions and the prohibition of self-excluded players from gambling. Article 35 also requires advertisements to feature the names and contact information of organisations which provide support and treatment to persons which suffer from problem gambling. The former Regulation on Commercial Communications (Decision No, 163/4C/2015, as amended by Decision No. 184/3/2015) was repealed by Article 13 of Decision No. 79292/2020. Article 8.3 of Decision No. 79292/2020 amongst other things prohibits gambling advertisements from: Adopting unfair commercial practices, such as containing misleading information or omitting information with the intention to mislead. Taking advantage of a lack of general knowledge on the part of consumers in relation to the chances of them winning. Giving the impression that the outcome of any gambling games played can be controlled or influenced through the use of superstitions, or that such superstitions can lead to positive outcomes. Implying that the skills of a player or the frequency at which they play can have an effect on the player’s chance of winning. Suggesting gambling can enhance a consumer’s personal qualities or be used as a way to obtain recognition or admiration from others. Recently, Greece has adopted Decision No. 79292/2020 into the gambling industry’s regulatory framework. This decision has imposed an obligation on operators to secure approval from the regulator for all gambling advertisements before publication, as well as banning gambling advertisements on the internet “either in the form of a pop-up window, such as pop-up, pop-under, overlays, or in any other form that restricts and/or obstructs browsing. Decision No. 79292/2020 is also comprehensive in setting out advertising restrictions designed to protect minors (in Greece, those aged under 21). In particular, commercial communications are prohibited from: Referring to or containing elements of minors’ mentality, habits and behaviour and/or use of phrases identified as being prevalent in the vernacular of minors. Presenting gambling as an activity which marks transition from adolescence to adulthood. Featuring real or fictional characters which are or seem to be under the age (21) at which participation in gambling is permissible. Being displayed before, during or right after the conducting or broadcasting of youth sporting events. Being displayed before, during or right after a radio / television programme targeted at minors. ## Demo games (play for fun): HGC Instruction 1/2026 HGC Instruction 1/2026 (HGC Decision 32/4/22.07.2026, Government Gazette B’ 4900/05.08.2026) implements paragraph 8.12 of Decision No. 79292/2020 and sets binding rules for demo or “play for fun” games offered online by licensed operators. The display and provision of a demo game by the operator is itself a commercial communication and is governed by Decision No. 79292/2020. Under the Instruction: a demo must be an accurate simulation of an HGC-certified game, must not involve any financial risk and must not allow real winnings or any other prize or reward, including entries for use in gambling; demos may be promoted only within the operator’s online gaming environment and may be played only after the player has logged into their player account; any third party, including affiliates, is prohibited from displaying or otherwise presenting demo games; each demo must follow the corresponding real-money game as to symbols and graphics, participation limits (max bet, max win), the prize distribution system, the paytable in force at any given time and the game guide information; a player’s total time on demo games may not exceed 20 minutes per calendar day; and the operator must notify the HGC of the demo games it intends to offer. Breaches are subject to administrative measures and sanctions under Ministerial Decision 125944/2020 (Government Gazette B’ 4884/2020). The Instruction formally applies from 1 September 2026. In September 2026 the HGC informally confirmed that the implementation deadline has been extended to 31 December 2026. The extension has not been published and, according to the HGC, was communicated only to licensed B2C operators. Although the Instruction is addressed to licensed B2C operators, it affects B2B game suppliers and platform providers in practice. Suppliers must keep demo and real-money versions aligned, and the safer reading is that playable demos should not be made available to users in Greece outside the operator’s logged-in environment, including through suppliers’ own websites or public demo libraries. Affiliate marketing has been recently regulated. Affiliates are subject to their own licence (Affiliate Suitability Licence) – Minimum requirements and low cost EUR 1.000 – one-off approval fee. Licence holders must ensure that commercial communication through affiliates follows the same terms, restrictions and safeguards that apply to the licence holder. Affiliates may not carry out the operator’s commercial communication directly with players or the public, for example through newsletters or RSS feeds (Part 5, HGC Directive 4/2021). Advertising service providers and affiliates may not provide services to illegal gambling operators (Article 11.2, Decision No. 79292/2020). Part 8 of HGC Directive 4/2021 distinguishes sponsorship from product placement and corporate social responsibility. It limits sponsored announcements to identity-type messages that are not linked to services, purchases, benefits or offers, and requires the +21 age limit to be shown with the brand in all sponsorship actions. Jerseys of sponsored teams are exempt, but individual athletes’ outfits and artistic outfits are not. Outdoor advertising must be located at least 200 metres from primary and secondary schools and boarding houses (Article 3.9, Decision No. 79292/2020). Commercial announcements may not promote bonuses, gifts, benefits or discounts linked to the cost of participation, except within loyalty programmes under Article 8.6 (Article 8.5, Decision No. 79292/2020). Advertising is overseen by the HGC under the Regulation on Commercial Communication (MD 79292/2020). Only licensed operators may advertise. Marketing must reference prohibitions for minors and self-excluded persons, include addiction-helpline information, avoid glamorising gambling or implying financial success, and must not promote credit for gambling. Advertising of unlicensed products is criminally sanctioned (minimum two-year prison sentence plus fines up to EUR 200,000). The NCRTV monitors broadcast gambling advertising.

The EEEP-EETT DNS Response Policy Zone (RPZ) integration represents a new technical enforcement layer for domain-level blocking of unlicensed gambling sites, moving beyond the prior public blacklist model to active DNS infrastructure blocking. This confirmed development is sourced at Tier-2 and carries fragile durability, as it rests on an inter-agency technical arrangement between EEEP and EETT rather than a codified statutory mandate. The mechanism integrates blocked domains directly into a dedicated Response Policy Zone within DNS infrastructure, giving the regulator a materially faster and more durable blocking capability than the previous blacklist-publication model. No other technical-compliance evidence, such as RNG certification or server-location rules, surfaced this cycle.

## Regulating bodies The HGC has authority to review, suspend, and revoke operating licences where operator failings are identified. Law No. 4002/2011 prescribes both administrative and criminal sanctions for the provision of gambling services by unlicensed operators. The law makes provision for findings of criminal liability against directors and controllers of offending companies. Article 52(3) of Law No. 4002/2011 deals with criminal sanctions for players who engage in unauthorised gambling. Under the law, anyone participating in unlicensed gambling as a player is liable for a prison sentence of up to three months, as well as a fine ranging from EUR 5,000 to EUR 20,000. ## Supervision by Regulator In January 2022, the HGC launched a whistle-blowing website to combat illegal gambling. Members of the public are now able to anonymously report illegal gambling activities, such as illegal betting sites, unlicensed affiliates, illegal revenue or revenue derived from suspected illegal gambling operations. ## Enforcement against licensed operators HGC took enforcement action against two casino licensees in January 2020, suspending the licences of Casinos Xhanti and Rio for a period of 2 months due to failure to pay social security bills. Article 51 of Law No. 4002/2011 sets out administrative sanctions which can be imposed against operators which act in contravention of Greek gambling laws and regulations. Under Article 51, fines of up to €2,000,000 can be imposed for infringements of the law. Under Article 52(1) of Law No. 4002/2011, anyone who offers online gambling services without authorisation will be liable for a prison sentence of up to three years and /or a fine of between EUR 200,000 and EUR 500,000. Anyone (including those that hold a license for games of chance) who convert an amusement skill gaming machine into a games of chance machine, shall be liable for a minimum 10-year prison sentence and a fine of EUR 200,000 to EUR 300,000. ## Typical triggers for enforcement against unlicensed operators No comment ## Enforcement action taken against unlicensed operators Update (Q4 2025):Enforcement against unlicensed online gambling has intensified markedly. By December 2025, the Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC) reported that approximately 11,000 domains associated with illegal betting and gaming had been identified and blocked via the national blacklist, enforced through internet service providers and payment service providers. This represents a substantial escalation compared to earlier reporting periods. The HGC actively uses its power to blacklist, and therefore requiring ISPs to block, unauthorised websites. The 2021 HGC Activity Report saw 2,525 registered websites blacklisted. As mentioned below payment blocking is also imposed. Article 52(2) of Law No. 4002/2011 prescribes criminal sanctions for the advertising of unlicensed online gambling services to players in Greece. Under the law, anyone who engages in such advertisement will be liable for a prison sentence of at least two years with a fine ranging from EUR 100,000 to EUR 200,000. Article 52 par. 2d of Law 4002/2011 treats the illegal online provision of games of chance (i.e., non-recreational/ skill games) as a felony offence, in which case potential infringers may be sentenced to imprisonment ranging from a minimum of ten years to a maximum of 15 years. The HGC is empowered to operate a blacklist of unauthorised gambling operators whose services are made available to players based in Greece. Article 51(5) of Law No. 4002/2011 obliges internet service providers (ISPs) to block the websites of unauthorised operators which appear on the blacklist. ISPs which violate the law under Article 51(5) will be liable for a prison sentence of a minimum of two years and a fine of between EUR 100,000 and EUR 500,000. Notably, operators which have appeared on the HGC-maintained blacklist within the previous year are not eligible to apply for an operating licence. Similarly, Article 52(9) of Law No. 4002/2011 requires payment service providers (PSPs) and financial institutions to not permit financial transactions with operators which feature on the blacklist. Such PSPs or financial institutions which are found to have breached the provisions of Article 52(9) will be liable for a minimum term of imprisonment of two years and a fine of at least EUR 100,000. Regulatory commentary highlights that illegal operators routinely re-enter the market using newly registered or mirror domains, often shortly after blocking measures are applied. Public statements have noted the high volume of new gambling-related domain registrations globally, underlining the limits of domain blocking as a standalone enforcement tool and the need for more preventive mechanisms. Article 52(3) of Law No. 4002/2011 deals with criminal sanctions for players who engage in unauthorised gambling. Under the law, anyone participating in unlicensed gambling as a player is liable for a prison sentence of up to three months, as well as a fine ranging from EUR 5,000 to EUR 20,000. ## MoU Between Cyprus & Greece Regulators ## Date: 26 May 2025 What happened: CGCA (Cyprus) and HGC (Greece) signed a Memorandum of Cooperation during GREF 2025. Key areas: Exchange of best practices Joint initiatives against illegal betting Collaboration in training and capacity building Enhancement of compliance & transparency mechanisms ## Proposal for National Strategy Against Illegal Gambling ## Date: 2 April 2025 What happened: EEEP completed a study proposing the formation of a national strategy to fight illegal gambling (especially online). Key proposals: New unit or independent structure under HGC National framework involving public/private/academic stakeholders Empowered enforcement capability Urgent stakeholder consultation The enforcement posture in Greece has escalated materially in 2025-2026. The draft EEEP reform bill — not yet enacted — proposes a comprehensive expansion of enforcement powers: EEEP gains the ability to order immediate removal or disabling of illegal gambling content via rapid administrative procedure without prior police authorisation, with maximum sanctions including content and domain takedown and blacklist listing; Gaming Inspectors receive special investigative officer status enabling initiation of criminal pre-investigations and direct submission of case files to prosecutors; and EEEP and Inspectors are empowered to order immediate closure and sealing of premises for up to one year with licence revocation. The criminal sanction structure under a rationalised Article 52 of Law 4002/2011 establishes a two-tier system: organising illegal gambling carries a minimum of three years' imprisonment and fines of EUR 10,000 to EUR 500,000; gambling-related offences carry up to a minimum of ten years' imprisonment and fines of EUR 50,000 to EUR 700,000, with aggravated circumstances reaching EUR 800,000. Administrative financial sanctions of EUR 1,000 to EUR 2m per violation apply to facilitating third parties including ISPs, advertisers and intermediaries. For licensed operators, the most immediate enforcement risk is the active Hellenic AML Authority investigation reportedly scrutinising at least ten licensed operators over affiliate-retailer cash-deposit schemes, which operates under the existing EU AML framework and is not contingent on the draft bill's enactment. The unregulated sector enforcement theory follows the civil-law stack: primary licensing offence under the enabling statute, DNS and IP blocking, payment blocking and advertising prohibition, with the new facilitation-sanction regime adding a EUR 2m-per-violation ceiling for intermediaries.

Greece has recently implemented a broad range of regulations to apply to its gambling market. Such changes have served to substantially modernise the Greek regime, which on paper is now analogous to other established regimes in terms of its sophistication. The Greek gambling market and its regulator, the HGC, will likely now undergo a transitional period on the road to reaching full maturity as it reacts and assesses opportunities and challenges posed by market operators. For 2026 Greece is expected to maintain its existing licensing structure while adopting a more interventionist enforcement posture: intensified action against illegal online gambling, expanded advertising controls and a revised framework for land-based casinos. No liberalisation is signalled. Industry pressure to reduce the 35% GGR tax persists but no statutory change is in train; reform focus remains enforcement, possible affiliate tightening and digital monitoring.