Greece’s Ministry of National Economy and Finance has opened a public consultation on a broad gambling reform bill that would significantly expand the Hellenic Gaming Commission’s enforcement powers, introduce criminal penalties for illegal operators, and revise the taxation of online gaming winnings. The consultation closes on 15 June 2026.
The legislation follows a commitment from Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis to address what he has described as a shadow gambling economy costing Greece an estimated €1.6bn to €2bn annually. Pierrakakis has cited annual tax losses of at least €500m attributed to the unlicensed market.
EEEP Gets Wider Enforcement Mandate
The bill’s central structural change is a significant expansion of the Hellenic Gaming Commission (EEEP). Under the draft, the regulator would gain authority to direct internet service providers and platform operators to remove or block access to content that promotes, facilitates or advertises illegal gambling.
The EEEP would also receive a substantial increase in permanent staffing, with new roles focused on IT, cybersecurity, intelligence gathering and enforcement. The Ministry has characterised illegal gambling as a sophisticated transnational threat, requiring a dedicated operational structure capable of monitoring websites, tracking payment channels and identifying criminal networks.
The Gaming Inspectors Corps would receive enhanced investigative powers under the draft, giving inspectors a reinforced role in supporting criminal proceedings alongside law enforcement. The bill also targets the payment infrastructure that sustains unlicensed operators, introducing measures to restrict financial flows to sites operating without a licence.
For licensed operators in the Greek market, the EEEP’s expanded mandate represents a material change in the competitive environment. Channelisation in Greece has been a persistent challenge, and the new enforcement tools are intended to make unlicensed alternatives harder to access and sustain.
The Greek iGaming market reported 50% growth in early 2026 as regulation tightened, a trajectory that tougher black market enforcement could accelerate further.
Penalties and Criminal Sanctions
Internet service providers, advertisers and third parties found to be facilitating illegal gambling would face direct administrative liability under the proposed framework. Fines are proposed to vary based on the severity and frequency of the offence, up to €2m per violation.
Influencers, streamers, affiliate marketers and digital advertising networks that promote unlicensed services would face administrative fines of €5,000 to €50,000 per infringement. The inclusion of digital marketing channels reflects the role affiliate and influencer activity plays in directing traffic to unlicensed operators.
The most significant penalties target operators themselves. Illegal gambling organisers face prison terms of up to 10 years and substantial financial penalties. In aggravated cases — including operations involving minors, professionally run schemes, or activity at premises previously sealed by authorities — fines could reach €800,000.
Illegal gambling deprives the state of significant public revenue, undermines licensed businesses and exposes citizens, particularly young people, to environments with no consumer protection or transparency.
That framing from Pierrakakis positions the bill as both a fiscal measure and a player protection mechanism, though the primary legislative architecture is enforcement-focused.
Revised Online Winnings Tax
The draft also proposes changes to how online gaming winnings are taxed. The new structure would apply across online games of chance, with winnings up to a threshold exempt and higher bands subject to rates of 20% and 30% respectively. Precise thresholds will be confirmed in the final legislative text following consultation.
EEEP data cited in the bill’s supporting materials estimated that around 799,000 Greek citizens — approximately 9.5% of the adult population — engaged in illegal gambling at least once in 2024. The shadow market’s annual turnover is estimated at €1.67bn.
The scale of that figure has direct implications for licensed operators. A significant share of online activity is occurring outside the licensed channel, which limits the addressable market for compliant businesses and depresses the overall tax take.
The broader European market reached €123.4bn in GGR in 2024, with a number of jurisdictions tightening enforcement frameworks over the same period. Greece’s proposed legislation fits that regional pattern — regulators across the continent are moving toward harder enforcement against unlicensed operators rather than relying on licensing incentives alone.
The consultation closes 15 June 2026. If passed without significant revision, the framework would place Greece among the stricter European jurisdictions on illegal gambling enforcement, with consequences for both unlicensed operators and licensed businesses navigating a revised tax structure on player winnings.
Source: Greece Ministry of National Economy and Finance
