Online Gambling Regulations in Greece

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Stelly

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Expertise: Journalism & PR, SEO Writing, Content Writing, International Gambling Markets

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Published: August 5, 2020
Updated: April 2, 2026

The online gambling industry is incredibly lucrative at the moment; it alone brings in billions annually. So, it only makes sense that countries aim to legalise and regulate the market for their financial gain.

Greece, the birthplace of democracy and the Olympic Games, is one of the countries that has been struggling a lot when it comes to finances. Because of this, the Greek government was forced to make major changes in all sectors that could help financially.

This includes the way online gambling and casino games were regulated in the country.

Online gambling regulations in Greece — Online gambling regulations, laws and taxes in Greece

Today, we take a look at the history and gambling laws over the years and how all recent developments affect Greek players who want to gamble online.

The history and laws of gambling in Greece

It’s no secret that for the majority of its existence, Greece has been completely against gambling. In fact, at first, the Greek government immediately passed a law that banned all forms of electronic gambling.

However, the law wasn’t very specific, which ended up including online gambling, land-based gambling machines and video games. It went to such extremes that even PlayStation and Xbox games were banned from internet cafés.

Luckily, the laws changed when the government implemented the Gambling Act in 2011.
It made land-based and online gambling legal.
The reason behind the change of heart was mainly because the government wanted to raise money through betting licences and taxes.
With the Gambling Act, 24 operators at first were granted interim licences. This included big names such as Betfair and William Hill.

Things changed again in 2012 when the Greek Ministry of Finance was starting plans to monopolise the online gambling market within the country in favour of OPAP, a state-run operator.

OPAP already had a monopoly over all sports betting and lottery industries in the country. The government was determined to implement the changes and warned those with interim licenses to cool down their service offerings.

Unfortunately for the government, Greece is one of the countries that is bound by EU regulations. So, when concerns were raised about the legality of the Greek Gambling industry, the CJEU stepped in and ruled that OPAP’s monopoly was unlawful.

This took place at the start of 2013, which led the Greek government to revise its laws once more. There were a lot of concerns raised, and even a standstill period of three months, after which OPAP was still granted a monopoly over the gambling industry until 2030.

A change of heart

Due to a lack of funds, a heavy financial crisis and receiving help from the EU twice, Greece was forced to reconsider OPAP’s gambling monopoly.

At the end of 2017, Greek officials started working on a new bill that would ultimately bring more freedom to both land-based and online gambling operators.

The new bill supported the development of new land-based casinos as well as the expansion of existing casinos.
Online casinos were also set to receive a boost, thanks to the government’s plans to enhance the gambling industry.
The goal was to offer plenty of licenses, so that the fees and gaming taxes would help the country out of its financial crisis.

International online gambling operators are allowed to apply for licences to operate in Greece. The Hellenic Gaming Commission is put in charge of handling the licensing approval process for both online and land-based casino operators.

According to government officials, the decision to open their gambling market to foreign operators is an attempt to reach their goal of boosting tourism in the country.

Greece is already considered to be one of the most beautiful tourist attractions in the world, and if that is combined with a free gambling market, there is no telling what revenue it could unlock.

In 2020, the Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC) welcomed a new online gaming license application process.

Are online gambling winnings taxable in Greece?

Winnings under €100 are tax-free, while those over €100 are subject to taxes. The rate is 15% for sums between €100,01 and €500 and 20% for ones over €500.

You are required by law to declare your winnings within 30 days after receiving the results. Also, recently, the Greek government changed the taxes for operators to a flat rate of 35% of GGR.

Is online gambling legal in Greece?

Yes, you can gamble safely online.

For many years, Greek officials have been either against online gambling or trying to monopolise it. Due to the current financial situation, the government has been forced to make changes to its laws, which means more freedom and leeway for both local and foreign operators to enter the market.

However, this doesn't apply to unlicensed platforms. The country introduced a 'zero tolerance' policy towards illegal gambling in 2026, with measures including fines up to €100,000 and even prison sentences.

In 2020, the process of legalising online gambling started thanks to the HGC! Don't forget to take a look at our list of top EU online casinos, where you can safely play!

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By Stelly

Verified Casino Expert

Expertise: Journalism & PR, SEO Writing, Content Writing, International Gambling Markets

Learn about our Review Process

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Last updated: April 2, 2026

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Greece - online gambling regulations

Contents

Contents

The history and laws of gambling in Greece

A change of heart

Are online gambling winnings taxable in Greece?