Greece: 10 Years in Prison for Illegal Gambling

Greece: 10 Years in Prison for Illegal Gambling

Greece estimates losses from offshore gambling at €400 million per year and is tightening its fight against unlicensed operators: criminal liability for organizers, AI monitoring of platforms, and personal fines for influencers.

Scope of the Offshore Segment

• Volume of illegal bets in 2024 — €1.67 billion
• Number of participants — about 799,000 people, approximately 9.51% of the country’s population
• Average spending per player in the offshore segment — €2,089 per year
• Over three years, the regulator has identified thousands of unlicensed domains, with about 11,000 blocked

New Sanctions

• For organizers of illegal gambling — up to 10 years in prison and fines up to €800,000
• For advertisers and influencers promoting unlicensed operators — fines up to €50,000
• Criminal prosecution for repeat offenses
• The law will come into effect in spring 2026

Tools for Combatting

• The Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC) is implementing AI monitoring systems to identify and block unlicensed sites
• Coordination with health authorities — strengthening responsible gaming measures and combating addiction
• 101% of HGC survey participants admitted to accessing unlicensed sites through influencers

Problem

• Despite the blocking of 11,000 domains, the volume of the offshore segment remains stable compared to 2023
• New unlicensed platforms are emerging faster than old ones are blocked
• A forceful approach curbs growth but does not solve the problem

Conclusion

Греция оказывает давление на офшорных операторов через инфлюенсеров. Штраф до €50,000 делает сотрудничество с нелицензированными операторами личным финансовым риском для блогеров и стримеров. Для офшорных операторов это удар по их основному каналу привлечения игроков.