Greece proposes gambling overhaul with bank transaction blocks, harsher illegal-gambling penalties, and new tax rules

The Greek government has put forward an omnibus bill that would rewrite parts of the country’s gambling framework, with the Hellenic Gaming Commission (EEEP) getting more staff, more enforcement power, and a bigger role in blocking the black market. For PSPs, acquirers, and banks, the important bit is simple: the draft puts payment rails directly inside the enforcement model.

1. The Ministry of Finance and National Economy says Greece would become the “first European nation to design a specific legislative framework to combat illegal gambling as a criminal and economic threat.” The bill, titled Regulations for the Hellenic Gaming Commission (EEEP) and Improvements to the Gaming Framework, covers illegal gambling, oversight of licensed operators, and the taxation of online gaming winnings.
2. A consultation period runs until June 15, after which the government may revise the draft before sending it to parliament. So this is not law yet, but the direction of travel is clear: tighter monitoring, more criminal exposure for illegal play, and a larger compliance burden for anyone moving gambling-related money in Greece.
3. The bill would require banks to block transactions linked to unlicensed gambling operators. Payments for bets and transfers of winnings from illegal platforms would be prohibited, which is the part payment teams will want to read twice. The Ministry says illegal gambling has become a “sophisticated transnational activity,” and the draft explicitly mentions monitoring websites, payment channels, and criminal networks.
4. The EEEP’s workforce would grow from 80 to 110, with new hires focused on IT, cybersecurity, intelligence, and enforcement. Inspectors would also be given the status of special investigative officers, allowing them to initiate criminal investigations directly. In other words, the regulator is being built less like an administrative body and more like an enforcement shop.
5. The penalties are not subtle. Organisers of illegal gambling would face prison sentences of 10 years and fines from €50,000 to €700,000. Where cases involve minors, repeat violations, or sealed premises, sanctions could rise to a minimum 10-year sentence and fines between €100,000 and €800,000. Individuals running games of chance without a licence would face one to two years in prison.
6. The draft also targets distribution and marketing. Promoting unauthorised gambling services through websites, apps, social media, influencer content, or affiliate links would carry fines of up to €50,000. Internet service providers, advertisers, and other third parties that facilitate illegal gambling could face penalties of €1,000 to €2m per violation.
7. Identity checks are getting sharper too. The bill would penalise anyone who provides gambling cards to ineligible players, with prison terms of up to two years and fines of €5,000. Internet cafés and gaming clubs used for illegal gambling could be shut down for up to a year, with operators facing heavy fines.

The thing high-risk PSPs will notice is that Greece is not treating gambling enforcement as just a licensing issue. It is tying it to banking controls, payment blocking, and criminal investigation powers, which means any provider with exposure to Greek-facing merchants, affiliates, or intermediaries will want a clean view of where funds are coming from and where they are going.