The commission also recommends an industry-led self-regulatory framework to reinforce advertising standards.
Greece’s national bioethics advisory body, the Hellenic National Bioethics and Technoethics Commission, has called for swift, coordinated action across government sectors to protect Greek youth from increasing risks associated with online betting.
The commission has recommended stronger controls on marketing practices and tighter identity verification procedures, per local reporting. They also recommended payment method restrictions designed to prevent underage access to betting platforms.
Specifically, it has called for reducing advertising exposure for legal betting applications during time slots likely to have teenage audiences. This includes statutory limits on radio and television broadcast scheduling, alongside new regulations to govern the frequency and content of online advertisements.
An industry-led self-regulatory framework coordinated by the Hellenic Gaming Commission to reinforce advertising standards was also suggested, to curb the documented rise in adolescent problem gambling.
To further prevent underage participation, the advisory body advocates for integrating user verification with the government’s secure identification infrastructure. This measure would block minors from creating accounts on betting sites. The Ministry of Finance is being encouraged to restrict the use of anonymous prepaid cards, a form of payment frequently used by younger gamblers.
Protecting Greece’s youth
These proposals align with earlier state initiatives, designed to give parents digital tools for monitoring and authenticating their children’s digital platform usage.
Greece is also adopting a tougher stance against illegal gambling markets. Recent draft legislation proposed imposing multi-year prison sentences and substantial fines on unlicensed operators, targeting both online and physical venues involved in illicit activities. Further supporting prevention efforts, the Hellenic Gaming Commission has established a three-year memorandum of understanding with health authorities. This is to coordinate measures such as early intervention, treatment and public education campaigns in 2025.
The comprehensive strategy combines demand-side interventions, such as advertising restrictions, school awareness programmes and parental oversight tools, with supply-side actions including robust identity authentication and financial payment controls.