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Sovereign state
Europe
ISO GR
Review due

Greece: gambling regulation and licensing

Hellenic Republic

  • Online sports bettingRegulated
  • Online casinoRegulated
  • Online pokerRegulated
  • Online bingoNot yet verified
  • Lottery and iLotteryMonopoly
  • Horse race bettingMonopoly
  • Land-based (reference)Regulated
Regulator
Hellenic Gaming Commission · Directory profile
Headline tax
35% GGR
Licence required
Yes
Last verified
23 Sept 2026

Summary

Greece runs an open licensing regime for online betting and casino alongside state-granted monopolies on land. The Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC), an independent authority, licenses operators under Law 4002/2011 as recast by Law 4635/2019. There are only two online licences: Type 1 for betting at EUR 3 million and Type 2 for casino, live casino and poker at EUR 2 million. Each runs for seven years, needs a EUR 500,000 bank guarantee and a .gr domain, and can be applied for at any time. Eighteen operators hold online licences. Betting exchanges are banned and the minimum age is 21. OPAP holds exclusive rights to lotteries, retail betting and VLTs, and eight casinos are licensed. The State takes 35% of gross gaming revenue, 0.5 points of which fund the HGC, and players pay a withheld tax on winnings. Law 5313/2026, in force since 25 June 2026, raised that tax on online casino and poker winnings to 20% up to EUR 500 and 30% above, per session after a EUR 100 allowance. The same law hardened enforcement: running unlicensed games of chance now carries at least ten years' imprisonment, the blacklist covers mobile apps and is pushed to ISPs through an HGC DNS server, and promoting unlicensed operators costs EUR 5,000 to 50,000 per breach. The 53rd blacklist edition in July 2026 took it to 14,977 sites. Online GGR was EUR 1.19 billion in 2025, up 10.5% and 38.8% of the market, with casino games ahead of betting. The HGC is preparing licences for B2B suppliers, a framework for live casino studios and a central register of excluded players.

Common pitfalls

Assuming 18 is the age limit: it is 21 for online gambling and gaming venues. Forgetting that the 35% GGR share is separate from the winnings tax operators must withhold, which rose for casino and poker on 25 June 2026. Treating affiliates as unregulated: they need their own HGC licence. Advertising RNG casino games anywhere but the licensee's own site.

Key facts

Regulator
Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC (EEEP))
Regulator type
Dedicated regulator
Headline tax
35% GGR
Licence required
Yes
Minimum age
21+
Tax base
The State takes 35% of gross gaming revenue for all games of chance (Law 4002/2011, art. 50(5)), paid within 16 days of the end of each month. GGR is total player stakes minus amounts paid out to players; for peer-to-peer games it is the rake or commission (art. 25(ib)). Of this share, 0.5% of GGR goes to the HGC (art. 28(7)(a)). The payments are deductible business expenses for income tax.
Capital
Athens
Currency
EUR
Official languages
Greek

How to get a gambling licence in Greece

The regulator is the Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC (EEEP)).

We record 4 licence types for Greece.

For the Type 1 online licence (online betting), the application fee is €10,000 (as of 23 Sept 2026).

Applications
Open
Time to licence
The HGC must decide within two months of a complete application; silence counts as refusal. A separate go-live decision follows within 30 days of request (Law 4002/2011, arts. 45(3) and 46(9)).
Local presence
No local establishment is required; servers must be located locally; sites must use a .gr domain.
Financial guarantee
Letter of guarantee of EUR 500,000 from a credit institution in the EU or EEA (Law 4002/2011, art. 46(7)). Before going live the player account must also hold half the guarantee amount per licence type (Decision 79835/2020, art. 25.2).
Headline tax
35% GGR (see Taxation for the full position)

Licence fees in Greece

Licence typeApplication feeAnnual feeTerm
Type 1 online licence (online betting)Licence price of EUR 3,000,000, payable in one sum or four equal annual instalments; EUR 10,000 fee to enter the procedure.€10,000 (as of 23 Sept 2026)Not yet verified7 years
Type 2 online licence (other online games)Licence price of EUR 2,000,000, payable in one sum or four equal annual instalments; EUR 10,000 fee to enter the procedure.€10,000 (as of 23 Sept 2026)Not yet verified7 years
Affiliate Suitability LicenceEUR 1,000 fee for registration (Law 4002/2011, art. 45A(2))€1,000 (as of 23 Sept 2026)Not yet verifiedNot yet verified

Built from the record on this page, last verified 23 Sept 2026. The Licensing and Taxation sections carry the full detail and sources.

Licensing

Licence required
Yes
Application window
Open
Local establishment required
No
Local server required
Yes
Local domain required
.gr
Active licences
18 (as of 23 Sept 2026)
Typical time to licence
The HGC must decide within two months of a complete application; silence counts as refusal. A separate go-live decision follows within 30 days of request (Law 4002/2011, arts. 45(3) and 46(9)).
Bank guarantee or bond
Letter of guarantee of EUR 500,000 from a credit institution in the EU or EEA (Law 4002/2011, art. 46(7)). Before going live the player account must also hold half the guarantee amount per licence type (Decision 79835/2020, art. 25.2).
Notable licensees
OPAP S.A., Stoiximan Limited, BWIN.GR Limited, Interwetten Gaming Limited, NetBet Enterprises Ltd, Vistabet Limited
Certification requirements
Games and technical means must be certified by the HGC, and licensees must connect their central information systems to the HGC supervisory system (PSEE) through an intermediate control system and safe (Law 4002/2011, art. 51(7); Decision 79835/2020 as amended).
Barriers to entry
Legal persons seated or permanently established in the EU or EEA with paid-up capital of at least EUR 200,000, clean criminal records for directors and partners, and no listing on the blacklist in the previous year. A .gr domain is mandatory, and applicants seated outside Greece must install a safe server in Greece. Game data must be kept on hardware in Greece for ten years. On top of the EUR 2 to 3 million licence price comes the EUR 500,000 guarantee.

Licence types

  • Type 1 online licence (online betting)

    Scope
    Online betting on the outcome of real events and on virtual events generated by an RNG. Betting exchanges are prohibited; no bets on youth, local or school events.
    Term
    7 years
    Application fee
    €10,000 as of 23 Sept 2026
    Fee basis
    Licence price of EUR 3,000,000, payable in one sum or four equal annual instalments; EUR 10,000 fee to enter the procedure.
    Renewal terms
    Renewal for another seven years on application at least one year before expiry, on payment of a new price equal to the original and provided the guarantee has not been called.
  • Type 2 online licence (other online games)

    Scope
    Casino games, live casino and poker (including peer-to-peer and tournaments), RNG or live.
    Term
    7 years
    Application fee
    €10,000 as of 23 Sept 2026
    Fee basis
    Licence price of EUR 2,000,000, payable in one sum or four equal annual instalments; EUR 10,000 fee to enter the procedure.
    Renewal terms
    As for Type 1: application at least one year before expiry and a new price equal to the original.
  • Affiliate Suitability Licence

    Scope
    Promotion of licensed operators' games by affiliates; licensees may use only affiliates in the HGC Affiliates Register.
    Application fee
    €1,000 as of 23 Sept 2026
    Fee basis
    EUR 1,000 fee for registration (Law 4002/2011, art. 45A(2))
  • B2B suitability licence (manufacturers and suppliers)

    Scope
    Manufacturers and suppliers of technical means and materials used in online games of chance, entered in the HGC register.

Taxation

Headline GGR tax
35% GGR
Effective date
25 Jun 2026
Player winnings tax
Betting (per slip): nil on the first EUR 100, 2.5% on EUR 100.01 to 200, 5% on EUR 200.01 to 500 and 7.5% above EUR 500. Online casino and poker (per play session, after a EUR 100 allowance): 20% where winnings are up to EUR 500 and 30% where they are EUR 500.01 or more, from 25 June 2026; poker tournament prizes are taxed on payout (Law 5219/2025, arts. 116 and 120, as amended by Law 5313/2026, art. 69).
Withholding mechanism
The operator paying the winnings withholds the tax, files the return on the player's behalf and remits it by the last working day of the following month (Law 5219/2025, art. 121).
Tax base
The State takes 35% of gross gaming revenue for all games of chance (Law 4002/2011, art. 50(5)), paid within 16 days of the end of each month. GGR is total player stakes minus amounts paid out to players; for peer-to-peer games it is the rake or commission (art. 25(ib)). Of this share, 0.5% of GGR goes to the HGC (art. 28(7)(a)). The payments are deductible business expenses for income tax.

Earmarked levies

  • HGC funding share: 0.5% of GGR of all games of chance, carved out of the State share (Hellenic Gaming Commission)
  • Horse-race betting allocation: 30% of GGR: 4.5% to the State, 1.5% to the Philippos Union, 24% to the race prize account (State, Philippos Union and racing prize fund)

Compliance

Minimum age
21+
National self-exclusion
HGC Register of Excluded Persons (online) (mandatory)
KYC timing
Before the player account is opened
AML regime
Law 4557/2018 and HGC Decision 554/5/2021 on AML/CFT for obliged persons in the gambling market. In 2025 the HGC produced 33 AML inspection reports. The EU AML package applies from 10 July 2027.
AML supervisor
Hellenic Gaming Commission
Deposit limits
At the first play session the player must set a maximum deposit limit (daily, weekly or monthly). Stricter limits apply at once; looser ones only after the period ends (Decision 79835/2020, art. 24).
Loss limits
A maximum loss limit is set in the same way and counts any wager that could breach it (Decision 79835/2020, art. 24).
Session limits
A maximum participation time for casino, poker and virtual betting is mandatory, with warnings at 80% and play stopped within two minutes of reaching the limit or 24 hours of play session (Decision 79835/2020, art. 24).
Central monitoring system
Licensees' central information systems connect to the HGC supervisory and control system (PSEE); failing to install the connection is fined EUR 100,000 to 500,000 (Law 4002/2011, arts. 25(e) and 51(7)).
Data localisation
Game data and data exchanged with players, ISPs and payment institutions must be stored on a server or safe in Greece for ten years (Law 4002/2011, art. 47(5)).
KYC requirements
The licensee must verify the player's identity to open the single player account allowed per licensee, under the HGC AML regulation, and run systems to stop multiple accounts and play through intermediaries (Decision 79835/2020, art. 19).
Stake limits
RNG casino games: maximum wager EUR 20 and maximum payout EUR 140,000 per game cycle, excluding jackpots. Betting: maximum payout EUR 500,000 per bet (Decision 79835/2020, arts. 11.9 and 12, as amended by Decision 67663/2022).
Mandatory player messaging
Every page of the site must show the minimum age, Greek addiction treatment contacts, customer service and complaint details and the HGC logo linking to the licence details (Decision 79835/2020, art. 8).
Reporting obligations
Licensees must notify the HGC of every new game type for certification and of acquisitions of 2% or more of their capital; changes of control need prior approval (Law 4002/2011, art. 47).
Game content restrictions
Minimum two seconds between RNG game cycles. Betting exchanges are banned, as are bets on youth, local and school events and on events already completed. Demo games only after log-in, for 20 minutes a day (Directive 1/2026).

Minimum age by vertical

  • Online sports betting: 21+
  • Online casino: 21+
  • Online poker: 21+

Advertising

Advertising permitted
Yes
Affiliate rules
Affiliates need an HGC Affiliate Suitability Licence and entry in the Affiliates Register (HGC Decision 509/1/2020), and licensees may only work with registered affiliates (Law 4002/2011, art. 45A). Anyone promoting operators outside the licence list or the Affiliates Register is fined EUR 5,000 to 50,000 per breach (art. 51(7a)).
Sponsorship rules
Sponsorship is allowed if the licensee is clearly identified, the message does not suggest that the sponsored party gambles, and nothing is aimed at minors, youth or school events (Decision 79292/2020, art. 5). In 2025 licensees spent about EUR 69 million on sponsorship and EUR 130 million on net advertising.
Celebrity and influencer rules
Advertising may not use people who enjoy publicity or act as models of success, except in sponsorship and CSR announcements (Decision 79292/2020, arts. 8.3.11, 5.2 and 6.4).
Social media rules
Licensees may advertise on their own social media accounts, directly or through affiliates, only where the platform filters out users under 21 (Decision 79835/2020, art. 7.5).
Bonus advertising rules
Public advertising may not promote bonuses, gifts or discounts on the cost of play; loyalty schemes may be promoted only individually with consent, on the licensee's own site or venues, or in general terms pointing to the terms and conditions (Decision 79292/2020, arts. 8.5 and 8.6).
Mandatory warnings
Every advertisement must name the HGC as regulator, state the minimum age, give the problem gambling helpline and warn of the risk of addiction and loss of property (Decision 79292/2020, art. 8.9); shorter online formats must at least carry the HGC, the age limit and the helpline.
Penalties for breach
Breaches trigger HGC administrative sanctions and automatic revocation of the plan approval. Advertising unlicensed gambling, as advertiser or advertised, is punishable by at least two years' imprisonment and a fine (Law 4002/2011, art. 52(2)).

Restrictions

  • Only licensed operators may advertise, and each licensee needs HGC approval of its commercial communication plan before any campaign (Decision 79292/2020, art. 9).
  • RNG casino games may be advertised only on the licensee's own website (Decision 79835/2020, art. 7.6).
  • No advertising aimed at minors, around youth sport, children's programmes or films, or on sites mainly for minors (Decision 79292/2020, art. 4).
  • Outdoor advertising must be at least 200 metres from schools (art. 3.9).
  • Advertising may not present gambling as normal, as an investment or as a route to success, and may not promote credit (art. 8.3).
  • Pop-ups and other formats that block browsing are banned (art. 8.7); product placement only in sports programmes (art. 7).
  • No direct marketing to excluded or self-excluded players (arts. 8.2 and 7.3 of Decision 79835/2020).

Payments

Credit card ban
No
Crypto stance
Not yet verified
Permitted methods
Remittance, Bank transfer, Credit card, Debit card, Prepaid card, E-wallet
Payment blocking regime
Banks, payment and e-money institutions in Greece may not process any transaction with blacklisted operators and must report such transactions to the Bank of Greece and the HGC; the HGC fines them ten times the amount moved, at least EUR 500 (Law 4002/2011, art. 49(5)). Criminal penalties reach ten times the amount and at least EUR 100,000 per breach (art. 52(9)).
Currency restrictions
Stakes and winnings must pass through credit, payment or e-money institutions established in the EU or EEA, directly between player and licensee with no third party; player funds sit in a segregated account at least equal to player balances, topped up within three days (Law 4002/2011, art. 49).

Enforcement

ISP blocking
Yes
DNS blocking
Yes
Payment blocking
Yes
App store takedowns
Not yet verified
Blocklist size
14,977 (as of 29 Jul 2026)
Administrative penalties
Fines of EUR 1,000 to EUR 2,000,000 per breach, or a percentage of gross receipts, and temporary revocation of up to three months or permanent revocation (Law 4002/2011, art. 51(1)); ISPs that fail to block are fined under the Gaming Regulation (art. 51(5)).
Criminal penalties
Conducting unlicensed games of chance: at least ten years' imprisonment and EUR 50,000 to 700,000; on a commercial scale or with minors, EUR 100,000 to 800,000 (art. 52(1), as amended by Law 5313/2026).
Operator liability
Operators, their representatives, directors and shareholders are listed on the blacklist and barred from any Greek licence or stake in a licensee (art. 48(7)). Listed domains are placed in a response policy zone on an HGC DNS server that feeds Greek ISPs, and mobile apps are covered since Law 5313/2026. Suppliers holding an HGC suitability licence that serve blacklisted sites lose it automatically (art. 51(7b)).
Player liability
Taking part in a game of chance organised without a Greek licence carries imprisonment of up to two years and a fine; on a repeat offence at least two years and EUR 5,000 to 20,000 (art. 52(3)).

Notable actions

  • Unlicensed online gambling websites (53rd Blacklist edition)29 Jul 2026

    510 websites and domain names added, bringing the list to 14,977 entries

  • Licensed and unlicensed operators (2025 inspection programme)31 Dec 2025

    610 inspection reports, 203 on online gaming and 33 on AML; 32 cases called to hearing with decisions due in 2026; six blacklist editions took the list to 12,642 sites

Market data

Figures on this record are drawn from official regulator data.

Online GGR
€1,191,443,178 as of 31 Dec 2025
Reporting year
2025
Year-on-year growth
10.51%
Online share of gambling
38.79%
Licensed operators
18

GGR by vertical

  • Online sports betting: €479,517,953 as of 31 Dec 2025
  • Online casino: €704,995,401 as of 31 Dec 2025
  • Online poker: €6,929,824 as of 31 Dec 2025

Timeline

  1. 10 Feb 2004

    Law 3229/2004 establishes the Gaming Commission

  2. 22 Aug 2011

    Law 4002/2011 sets the framework for regulating the gaming market

  3. Jul 2013

    The HGC starts keeping the blacklist of unlicensed operators

  4. 30 Oct 2019

    Law 4635/2019 creates the Type 1 and Type 2 online licences

  5. 5 Aug 2020

    Online gaming and commercial communication regulations published

  6. Aug 2021

    Transitional regime for online operators ends as licences are issued

  7. 20 May 2022

    Maximum RNG casino wager raised from EUR 2 to EUR 20

  8. 18 Jul 2025

    Law 5219/2025 recodifies the tax on gambling winnings

  9. 25 Jun 2026

    Law 5313/2026 toughens enforcement and raises the online casino winnings tax

  10. 13 Jul 2026

    HGC 2025 annual report delivered to the Speaker of Parliament

  11. 29 Jul 2026

    53rd blacklist edition adds 510 sites

  12. 1 Sept 2026

    Directive 1/2026 on play-for-fun games takes effect

Outlook

The first seven-year licences were issued in 2021, and renewal must be sought at least a year before expiry at a price equal to the original, which puts the first renewal decisions in view. The HGC has announced a B2B supplier licence, a live casino studio framework and a revised exclusion regime with a central Register of Excluded Players, none yet published in draft. Decisions in 32 enforcement cases heard in 2025 are due in 2026, the new Law 5313/2026 powers will show up in blacklist and blocking activity, and the EU AML package applies from 10 July 2027.

Frequently asked questions

Who regulates online gambling in Greece?
The Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC), an independent authority, under Law 4002/2011 as amended by Law 4635/2019 and Law 5313/2026.
What does a Greek online licence cost?
EUR 3 million for the Type 1 betting licence and EUR 2 million for the Type 2 casino and poker licence, payable at once or in four annual instalments, plus a EUR 10,000 application fee and a EUR 500,000 bank guarantee. Licences last seven years.
How is online gambling taxed in Greece?
The State takes 35% of gross gaming revenue. Operators also withhold tax on player winnings: up to 7.5% on betting slips, and 20% or 30% on online casino and poker winnings per session after a EUR 100 allowance since 25 June 2026.
What is the minimum age?
21 for online gambling and for entry to gaming venues.
Do affiliates need a licence?
Yes. They need an HGC Affiliate Suitability Licence and entry in the Affiliates Register, and licensees may only work with registered affiliates. Promoting unlicensed operators is fined EUR 5,000 to 50,000 per breach.
Is it an offence to play on an unlicensed site?
Yes. Taking part in a game of chance without a Greek licence is punishable by up to two years' imprisonment and a fine.
Is online gambling legal in Greece?
Online casino and online sports betting are both legal for licensed operators in Greece. The status of every vertical is at the top of this page. Last verified 23 Sept 2026.
How long does it take to get a gambling licence in Greece?
The HGC must decide within two months of a complete application; silence counts as refusal. A separate go-live decision follows within 30 days of request (Law 4002/2011, arts. 45(3) and 46(9)). Last verified 23 Sept 2026.

Glossary and directory

iGT coverage of Greece

Sources

Source tiers. Tier 1: the law, official gazette, licence register or regulator itself. Tier 2: other official sources such as ministries, parliaments, courts and statistics agencies. Only tier 1 and tier 2 sources can support a fact on their own.

  1. Law 4002/2011 (Government Gazette A 180/22.08.2011), Part D, Chapter H, articles 25 to 54, regulation of the gaming market (consolidated to Law 5313/2026)

    Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC) (translated)

    HGC codified text; the Government Gazette (FEK) prevails where the two differ.

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 22 Aug 2011
  2. Law 5313/2026 (Government Gazette A 102/25.06.2026), articles 62 to 70 (gaming) and 137 (entry into force)

    Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) e-library, Government Gazette text (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 25 Jun 2026
  3. Law 5219/2025 (Government Gazette A 130/18.07.2025), articles 116 to 122: tax on winnings from games of chance (consolidated)

    Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC) (translated)

    HGC codified text; the Government Gazette (FEK) prevails where the two differ.

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 18 Jul 2025
  4. Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 5 Aug 2026
  5. Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 31 Oct 2022
  6. Annual Report 2025 (Etisia Apologistiki Ekthesi 2025)

    Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC) (translated)

    Tier 2Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 14 Jul 2026
  7. The Gaming Market

    Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
  8. Licences

    Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
  9. B2C Online Licences

    Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
  10. Online Affiliate Licences

    Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
  11. Registers

    Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
  12. Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
  13. HGC Decision 24363/29.07.2026: 53rd edition of the Blacklist

    Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 29 Jul 2026
  14. Exclusion

    Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
  15. Complaints and Reports

    Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
  16. HGC: remit and strategic plan 2026 to 2030

    Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
  17. Legislation (legal library)

    Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
  18. Press releases and announcements (Deltia Typou / Anakoinoseis)

    Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC) (translated)

    Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026

Spotted something out of date? Report a correction.

This page is industry reference information and not legal advice.

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