The Hellenic Gaming Commission (EEEP), Greece’s independent gambling regulator, is taking steps to eliminate loopholes that enable players to register under multiple identities on various platforms. This initiative was discussed in a recent meeting convened by the EEEP.
The Commission is ramping up its examination of VIPs and high-value customers (HVCs), who may place bets amounting to hundreds of thousands of euros each year. To gain deeper insights into this segment, the EEEP has requested detailed information from all 18 licensed operators regarding their processes for registering and engaging these premium players, including how they utilize bonuses and hospitality perks.
Although the EEEP claims the data gathering serves statistical purposes, insiders within the industry perceive it as an effort to tighten control over a sector that has traditionally operated under relaxed oversight. There is a significant concern that enticing incentives for VIPs could inadvertently lead gambling activities away from the regulated market towards unlicensed foreign platforms, thereby jeopardizing tax compliance and overall regulatory control.
Currently, each online gambling operator verifies customers on an individual basis, but this method is viewed as inadequate for the Greek market. Reports indicate that regulators regard this fragmented verification process as too weak, prompting a move toward creating a single, comprehensive identity verification system. The goal is to establish a centralized “single gate” for player certification, ideally through the state’s e-Gov platform.
At this time, the e-Gov platform handles license applications for individuals involved in affiliate promotion and other key roles in the gambling industry, but it lacks a universal verification system for all players. A previous plan to use banks as a central certification hub was scrapped after the General Secretariat for Information Systems indicated it did not have the legal authority to enforce such a framework.
Greece’s gambling industry has been growing steadily in recent years, with a noted year-on-year growth rate of 15%. Ed Birkin, managing director at H2 Gambling Capital, noted earlier this year that the Greek market is poised to reach approximately €1.5 billion in gross winnings within a couple of years, up from about €1.2 billion. The rapid expansion of online gambling channels particularly stands out; both regulatory clarity and predictability are frequently mentioned as crucial factors driving the concentration of gaming activity within Greece.
