Greece Plans Tough New Crackdown on Illegal Gambling with Prison Terms, Fines, and Consumer Liability

Athens has announced that all options are being considered in the fight against black market gambling, including prison sentences and consumer fines for repeated participation on illegal websites. Greece is moving forward with plans to become the first EU country to introduce a “comprehensive framework” specifically targeting illegal gambling activities and associated crimes. The initiative comes from Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Minister of National Economy and Finance, who is advancing a bill aimed at overhauling the country’s laws and protections against illegal gambling and the growing encroachment of the black market. Pierrakakis informed parliament that he expects to publish a decree “in the first half of 2026,” introducing new laws and tougher measures “to combat a €1.6bn ($1.89bn) illegal economy,” as current state losses now exceed “at least €500m ($590m) annually in lost public revenues.”

“The numbers are shocking,” Pierrakakis told lawmakers. “This is not simply a leak of public resources, we are combatting a deep social pathology that requires a modern and uncompromising response.” The legislative push follows warnings Pierrakakis delivered to Parliament in August 2025, when he detailed the rapid expansion of illegal gambling operators across online platforms and physical venues. The Minister and the Hellenic Gaming Supervision and Control Board (EEEP) highlighted that in 2024, 9.5% of the population—approximately 799,000 citizens—had engaged with unlicensed gambling at least once.

Government briefings described unlicensed gambling as having evolved into a shadow economy increasingly dominated by organized networks and offshore digital operators operating beyond conventional enforcement reach. Central to the proposed framework is a substantial escalation in criminal penalties targeting illegal operators. Organizers of unlicensed gambling, particularly games of chance, will now face prison terms of up to 10 years, alongside fines ranging from €50,000 to €100,000 ($59,000 to $118,000). Aggravating factors, including professional-scale operations, repeat offenses, the involvement of minors, or reopening premises after closure, will trigger even harsher penalties, signaling a zero-tolerance approach to organized gambling networks.

In a notable and controversial move, Pierrakakis also announced the introduction of criminal liability for consumers who knowingly participate in illegal gambling, stating that “repeat participation will trigger punishment.” This marks a significant shift, extending enforcement beyond operators to individuals, in an effort to dismantle illegal ecosystems that continue to thrive despite website blocking and venue shutdowns. Land-based enforcement will also be strengthened, with authorities empowered to immediately seal premises engaged in illegal gambling activity, including internet cafés, private clubs, and unlicensed gaming halls.

Municipalities will have the authority to permanently revoke operating licenses linked to illegal play, a fast-track measure designed to prevent operators from reopening under new business fronts, a tactic frequently seen in prior crackdowns. The framework is being developed in collaboration with the EEEP, which will receive expanded investigative powers and stronger enforcement mechanisms. The regulator already maintains a real-time blacklist of over 11,000 illegal gambling websites, supported by DNS filtering and cooperation with domestic and international law enforcement agencies. The new measures are expected to grant the EEEP faster intervention rights across both digital and physical markets.

Fast-tracked enforcement is deemed necessary, as 2024 data show that roughly 390,000 individuals engaged in online gambling via mobile or computer, 215,000 participated in physical venues such as clubs and internet cafés, and 194,000 used both channels. Officials are particularly concerned about the 18-34 age group, which now accounts for more than a quarter of all unlicensed gambling participants. Authorities view this as evidence of early exposure to high-risk gambling behaviors through illegal digital platforms that operate without consumer protections.

“The protection of younger generations sits at the heart of this reform,” Pierrakakis stressed, arguing that the state must disrupt illegal markets that “normalise unlawful play as everyday digital entertainment.” Beyond domestic measures, Athens is positioning the framework to serve as a model for other European countries confronting illegal gambling, with regulators in the UK, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands monitoring developments closely amid concerns about the black market’s growth. Greek officials contend that soft national approaches are insufficient in a borderless online environment.

“This is a modern regulatory response to a modern criminal economy,” Pierrakakis concluded. “It is about protecting society, restoring public revenues and confronting illegal gambling with real consequences.”

By fLEXI tEAM