Changes on the Horizon for Greek Casinos

Posted on: August 7, 2023, 05:08h. 

Last updated on: August 7, 2023, 05:08h.

Craig Boswell Read More
Expertise: Legislation, Politics, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, Regulation.

For the next several weeks, major changes on how casinos are operated in Greece will be a major topic of discussion. The Hellenic Gaming Commission (EEEP) has introduced a trio of proposed changes that are now open to discussion by members of Greece’s gambling Industry.

The Mont Parnes Casino in Athens, Greece, pictured above, and other casinos across the country could have to implement new gaming regulations to enhance player protections if proposed changes are approved by the Hellenic Gaming Commission. (Image: Mont Parnes Casino)

One of the suggested new measures is the creation of a national self-exclusion register intended to be an overhaul of Greece’s existing player protection laws.

EEEP would be the regulator and would maintain the register with information on players looking to take some time off from gambling. The registry would include the duration of the ban along with the identity of the licensee that received the ban request.

The draft regulation allows players to choose the duration of their self-exclusion, from one week to 10 months. Self-exclusion can only be lifted after the excluded player submits a request to lift the ban after the chosen time period has elapsed.

The proposed law also includes the possibility of an individual playing card. It would allow players to participate in casino games at brick-and-mortar casinos while connected to their online player accounts.

The third proposed law under discussion is the requirement for a studio space to be located in every licensed casino. The studio is where live dealer games would be operated.

Discussion of the new measures will remain open until September 15.

What’s Next

Members of Greece’s gambling market are encouraged to offer their opinions until September 15, when the debate period will be closed. If the suggested new measures are accepted, they will be put into practice by Greece’s Ministry of National Economy and Finance.

The regulator sees the proposed changes as “key innovations”.

In a release posted on the EEEP website, the regulator said the draft law focuses “on the regulation of matters of administrative control and operation of casino businesses,” with the consultation put in place to “formulate the views of each interested part.”

Looking slightly deeper into the proposals, licensed casinos might also be forced to provide special training on the country’s gambling regulations through a series of education and training programs to be supervised by training managers. They would also have to offer the required information regarding their education and training programs to EEEP.

Other Greek Gambling Bits

Soft2Bet was awarded a business-to-business A1 license by the country’s regulator, which is seen as a complement to the company’s future development plans.

Gamblers in Greece can now also access NetGaming games for the first time after a deal with Novibet. Among the first released are slot machines, including 3 Wild Jokers, Juicy Gold 100, and Lucky Vault. The entire back library will be released throughout the year along with other new titles.

In late June, the Hellenic Gaming Commission again expanded its blacklist of illegal online gambling sites. It was the 37th update to the iGaming blacklist, bringing the total number of blocked domains to more than 5,800.

The Greek gambling market was regulated in 2011 after the passage of its original Gambling Act. In early 2018, a new law introduced a revised legal framework for licensing and operation of casino companies intended to increase competition in the Greek casino industry and attract foreign investment.