Greece regulates gambling through a single national authority, the Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC, known in Greek as ΕΕΕΠ). The HGC supervises three distinct segments:
- land-based games run under exclusive rights by the OPAP group, including lotteries, KINO, sports betting in shops and video lottery terminals;
- a small number of licensed land-based casinos;
- a licensed online market, open to private operators since a new licensing regime came into force in 2020.
The online regime is built on Law 4002/2011 and a detailed ministerial regulation. Its main features are seven-year licences, a minimum player age of 21, a mandatory “.gr” domain, and a blacklist of illegal websites that ran to more than 14,000 entries in 2026. This guide explains each element and what it means for players.
Key points
- Online betting, casino games, live casino and poker are lawful in Greece only when offered by an operator holding an HGC licence. The HGC states that 18 operators are licensed to offer online games of chance.
- Online licences last seven years. A Type 1 (betting) licence costs €3 million and a Type 2 (other games, including casino) licence costs €2 million.
- Players must be at least 21, and licensed websites must use a “.gr” domain.
- The HGC blacklist of unlicensed providers contained 14,444 entries. The HGC estimates that about 10% of Greeks, around 800,000 people, gambled on unlicensed platforms in 2024.
- Self-exclusion covers online gambling, video lottery terminals and casinos. The national addiction agency runs a gambling helpline on 1114.
Last reviewed: 5 October 2026.
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Historical development
For decades, gambling in Greece centred on the state betting organisation OPAP, which was established in 1958. Its first game, the PRO-PO football pools, was launched in March 1959. OPAP began as a state monopoly. It was listed on the Athens Stock Exchange in 2001. In 2013 the state sold its remaining 33% stake to the investment fund Emma Delta through the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund, as described in the public record of the company’s history. Its largest shareholder is now the Allwyn group, and the OPAP group’s exclusive land-based rights continue under agreements with the state.
Land-based casinos developed under a separate licensing regime, based mainly on Law 2206/1994. Online gambling was the last segment to be regulated. Law 4002/2011 created the legal basis for licensing online games and gave the HGC its powers. The full licensing framework now in force, however, was put in place by ministerial decisions issued in 2020. The main one is the Online Gaming Regulation (Ministerial Decision 79835/2020), published in the Government Gazette (FEK B 3265) on 5 August 2020.
Legal framework
The core statute is Law 4002/2011 (Government Gazette A’ 180). Its gambling chapter regulates the organisation and conduct of games of chance, the powers of the HGC and the sanctions for breaches. It is supplemented by a series of ministerial decisions, listed in the HGC legal library. The main ones are:
- Ministerial Decision 79835/2020, the Online Gaming Regulation;
- Ministerial Decision 79841/2020, on technical specifications for online gaming;
- Ministerial Decision 79292/2020, on standards for commercial communications (advertising);
- Ministerial Decision 79314/2020, on video lottery terminals;
- Ministerial Decision 56580/2022, on the suitability of persons involved in gambling businesses.
Casino operations are governed by Law 2206/1994, Law 3139/2003 and Articles 357 to 378 of Law 4512/2018, according to the HGC’s casino licensing page.
Greece’s framework must also be consistent with EU law. The European Commission notes that there is no sector-specific EU legislation on gambling. Member states may organise their gambling markets as they choose, including through monopolies or licensing systems, provided they respect the fundamental freedoms of the EU Treaties. The Court of Justice of the European Union reviews national rules against those principles.
Regulator and licensing model
The HGC describes itself as “the independent administrative authority responsible for the regulation, supervision, and control of the gaming market in Greece”. Under Article 28(1) of Law 4002/2011, it is the competent authority for issuing licences and certifications for games. It issues several categories of licence:
- business-to-consumer (B2C) online licences;
- business-to-business (B2B) online licences for suppliers;
- online affiliate licences;
- casino licences and casino junket licences;
- licences for individuals in critical functions;
- certifications for gaming equipment.
The HGC’s casino page states that eight land-based casino businesses operate in Greece.
Greece uses two models side by side. For land-based lotteries and betting it operates exclusive rights, meaning a single company is granted the sole right to run a type of game. For online gambling it uses a licensing model, under which any operator meeting the conditions may apply. The HGC’s page on exclusive rights describes the land-based rights:
- OPAP S.A. holds exclusive rights to KINO, Pame Stoixima (sports betting), video lottery terminals, Joker and Eurojackpot, operated through its agency network.
- Its subsidiary Hellenic Lotteries has operated the state lotteries and instant lotteries since 1 May 2014.
- Horse Races S.A. holds the right to pari-mutuel (pool) horse-race betting under an agreement signed on 24 April 2015 for 20 years.
The HGC’s B2C licensing page distinguishes two online licence types:
- Type 1: online betting;
- Type 2: other online games, including casino games, live casino and poker.
Under the Online Gaming Regulation, licences are valid for seven years. The fee is €3 million for a Type 1 licence and €2 million for a Type 2 licence, and it may be paid in four equal annual instalments. The regulation also requires every licensed website to use a domain name ending in “.gr”. The HGC’s website legality check states that 18 licensed operators are authorised to offer online games of chance. Readers can enter a web address into the tool to see whether it belongs to a licensed operator or appears on the blacklist.
Online gambling: what is permitted and how it is enforced
Licensed operators may offer online sports betting (Type 1) and online casino games, live casino and poker (Type 2). Licensees must meet requirements on:
- player protection and responsible gambling;
- anti-money-laundering controls;
- the integrity and security of their gaming systems.
The Online Gaming Regulation also restricts how operators use player data. Information from a player’s account may not be used for marketing without the player’s consent. No marketing may be sent to excluded players.
The main enforcement tool against unlicensed operators is the HGC List of Unlicensed Providers, commonly called the blacklist. It is maintained under Article 48(1)(8) of Law 4002/2011 and HGC Decision 51/3/26.04.2013. It lists:
- the domain names of websites offering gambling in Greece without authorisation;
- the entities that operate them;
- associated individuals.
Anyone on the list is ineligible for a Greek gambling licence and may not take part, directly or indirectly, in a licensed operator. The list is updated by HGC decision; the most recent decision shown at the time of review was dated 29 July 2026. The HGC homepage stated that the list contained 14,444 entries.
The scale of the illegal market is significant. The HGC states that approximately 10% of the population, around 800,000 people, gambled in unlicensed environments in 2024.
Several recent HGC measures have tightened controls on licensed operators:
- Directive 1/2024 of 20 March 2024 allows operators, including online platforms, to verify a player’s identity using the digital police identity card held in the government’s Gov.gr Wallet application. The authenticity of the document is confirmed by scanning a QR code.
- A 2026 directive on demonstration games applies from 1 September 2026. It covers “play for fun” versions of games offered without stakes. Players may only access them after logging in to their account, and for no more than 20 minutes per calendar day. The demonstration games may not offer any prize. Promoting them counts as commercial communication.
Position of players
Adults aged 21 or over may lawfully gamble with licensed operators. Article 2.4 of the Online Gaming Regulation excludes persons under 21 from online games.
The HGC’s public guidance on illegal websites concentrates on identifying and reporting unlicensed operators. It does not set out penalties for players. Neither the regulator’s guidance nor the other sources reviewed for this guide identify a specific offence of playing on an unlicensed website, and we found no record of Greek players being prosecuted on that basis. Players who use unlicensed sites nevertheless lose the protections of the Greek system: identity and age checks, self-exclusion, HGC supervision and the right to complain to the regulator.
Taxation
Licensed operators pay Greek taxes on their gambling revenue under Law 4002/2011, in addition to their licence fees. Players’ winnings are also subject to tax. The Online Gaming Regulation requires licensees to cross-check players’ tax obligations on winnings and to issue certificates of winnings. Readers should note that we were not able to confirm the current operator tax rates or the withholding rates on players’ winnings from a primary source accessible at the time of review, so they are not stated here. Players with tax questions should consult the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) or a tax adviser.
Consumer protection and responsible gambling
The HGC’s self-exclusion page sets out the options available:
- Indefinite self-exclusion lasts at least one year. It is not lifted automatically, and can only be lifted at the player’s request once a year has passed.
- Temporary self-exclusion is for a period chosen by the player, of at least one month. It ends automatically when the period expires.
- Short time-outs are also available: a 24-hour suspension for online gambling, and a “Day Stop” until midnight for video lottery terminals.
Self-exclusion applies to online games of chance, video lottery terminals and land-based casinos. For casinos, however, only indefinite or court-ordered exclusions are available. The HGC’s responsible gaming page explains that self-exclusion blocks access to and participation in gambling, blocks gaming accounts, and suspends all marketing. Requests are submitted to the operator: at the casino, at a certified OPAP PLAY venue, or on the operator’s website. The HGC also offers a free, anonymous self-assessment tool.
For support, the HGC’s support services page refers players to two services:
- the gambling helpline of the National Organisation for the Prevention and Treatment of Addictions (EOPAE), a public body, which can be reached on 1114;
- Gamblers Anonymous, which has meeting points in Athens and Thessaloniki.
General information is also available in our responsible gambling guide.
Recent and upcoming developments
Activity in 2024 to 2026 has focused on three areas.
Identity verification. Directive 1/2024 introduced digital checks through the Gov.gr Wallet.
Product rules. The 2026 directive on demonstration games applies from 1 September 2026. The HGC also continues to issue rules for individual games. Examples include a 2025 decision on the Super 3 game and a 2026 decision on Eurojackpot.
Anti-money laundering. In March 2026 the HGC informed operators about the new EU framework for combating money laundering that will apply to gambling operators.
Readers should check the HGC website for any changes to the licensing or tax framework after the date of review.
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The listings below are generated from our casino database. Their inclusion does not by itself show that an operator holds an HGC licence or may lawfully accept players in Greece. Use the HGC website legality check or the blacklist of unlicensed providers to check the exact website address before opening an account.
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Sources and further reading
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Hellenic Gaming Commission: homepage and key statistics (accessed 5 October 2026).
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Licences (accessed 5 October 2026).
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, B2C Online Licences (accessed 5 October 2026).
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Licences Granting Exclusive Rights (accessed 5 October 2026).
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Casino Licences (accessed 5 October 2026).
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Legal Library (accessed 5 October 2026).
- Ministry of Finance (Greece), Ministerial Decision 79835 ΕΞ 2020: Online Gaming Regulation, FEK B 3265 (2020).
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, List of Unlicensed Providers (Blacklist) (accessed 5 October 2026).
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Website Legality Check (accessed 5 October 2026).
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Directive 1/2024 on player identity verification using digital police ID cards (2024).
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Decision 32/4/22.07.2026: Directive on demonstration games, FEK B 4900 (2026).
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Self-Exclusion (accessed 5 October 2026).
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Responsible Gaming (accessed 5 October 2026).
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Support Services (accessed 5 October 2026).
- National Organisation for the Prevention and Treatment of Addictions, EOPAE (accessed 5 October 2026).
- European Commission, Online gambling in the EU (accessed 5 October 2026).
- Wikipedia, OPAP (accessed 5 October 2026).
