Greek authorities are preparing to introduce prison sentences of up to ten years and fines of as much as €800,000 ($927,972) for those organizing unlicensed gambling operations, under draft legislation expected to come into force this spring.
The proposal also provides for fines of up to €50,000 ($57,998) for advertisers and social media influencers who promote illegal gambling platforms, and enables the prosecution of repeat offenders who participate in unlawful gambling activities.
The legislative move follows government estimates that illegal and unlicensed gambling cost the country around €400 million ($464 million) in lost revenue last year. Data published in August 2025 showed that unlicensed gambling transactions reached approximately €1.67 billion in wagers in 2024.
Authorities estimate that nearly 799,000 people, about 9.5% of the country’s population, were involved in illegal gambling during the year. The average illegal spend per participant was roughly €2,089 ($2,423). Officials indicated that the size of the illicit market remains stable compared with 2023.
Regulators have also identified continued risks for consumers engaging with unlicensed operators, including fraud and data security concerns. Over the past three years, the Government’s Commission for the Supervision and Control of Gambling has uncovered thousands of unauthorized gambling domains. Recent enforcement measures have led to the blocking of approximately 11,000 domains.
Research conducted by the Hellenic Gaming Commission in 2025 found that 10% of respondents cited influencers as their direct route into an illegal gambling website. In response, the regulator is deploying AI-driven monitoring systems designed to identify and swiftly block unlawful gambling sites.