Greek Casinos

Online gambling has been legal in Greece since 2012 when Law 4002/2011 officially came into effect, introducing a licensing system based on public tenders. This legislation also enabled remote gambling operators licensed in EEA member states to provide their services in the country with interim licenses during a transition period that ended with the passage of Law 4635/2019. It overhauled the existing legislation, allowing interested operators to apply for fixed-term renewable permits for the provision of remote gambling activities to Greeks.

• Greece’s Stance on Online Gambling
• Gambling Regulations in Greek
• Gambling Taxation in Greece
• The Future of Online Gambling

The Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC) is tasked with the licensing, oversight, and taxation of the local iGaming industry. The regulatory body issues two types of permits under the new licensing framework. Type 1 licenses are required for the legal provision of remote sports betting, whereas Type 2 licenses cover peer-to-peer poker and online casino games, including slots, table games, and live dealer products. As many as 15 operators are currently authorized to legally service casino players from the Greek market.

Due to the limited range of options, many locals prefer to take their action to offshore online casinos licensed outside the country. In this article, we explain all about remote gambling regulations in Greece and assist you in making an informed choice with an unbiased ranking of the best online casinos welcoming players from the Greek market. Readers will additionally find comprehensive information about the banking methods local players can deposit with, along with a breakdown of the most popular casino games and live dealer products commonly available to them.

Greece’s Legal Stance on Gambling

When the popularity of interactive gambling increased dramatically at the turn of the 21st century, online casinos were met with such a strong opposition on behalf of the Greek government that the latter went as far as to enforce a ban on all forms of web-based gaming for real-money. Interestingly enough, this piece of legislation failed to adequately differentiate between online video games, and interactive and landbased gambling, which led to console games being prohibited from internet cafés throughout the country, along with online casino games.

Following the financial crisis the country was struggling with, the Greek government decided to soften its stance on the gambling sector and passed the Gambling Act of 2011. The goal was to generate additional profits through the taxation and licensing of foreign gambling operators, with big names like William Hill and Betfair being among the first ones to enter the Greek market with interim licenses. This was followed by making provisions for setting up a permanent licensing system for offshore and native operators alike.

Sadly, the intentions to establish one such system were stalled only a year later, in 2012, by the country’s Ministry of Finance. Instead of opening the market to foreign competition, the Greek authorities ended up monopolizing the interactive gambling sector, instead. The result was that OPAP (which is the Greek Organization of Football Prognostics) acquired a monopoly on all online gambling operations on the territory of the country.

Meanwhile, the foreign operators which were granted temporary licenses were politely asked by the government to wind down their services on the local market. Some operators opted for leaving Greece right away since their temporary licenses were not to be renewed once they expire, others decided to try and wait out until the legal gambling environment in the country improves.

These restrictive regulations led to various accusations of protectionism and violation of the free trade laws in the European Union. Things escalated rather quickly and only a year later, in 2013, the European Commission intervened and ruled that the restrictive policies of monopolization of the gambling market in Greece were indeed in violation of EU laws. The result was the Greek government coming up with several proposals for amending its online gambling legislation.

Nevertheless, the Greek legislators spoke strongly against games running on Random Number Generators. Their argument was that such games should not be made readily available to players from the country due to their quality of being “highly addictive”. This argument, was rather hypocritical on its own, considering the fact OPAP was issued a license, allowing it to operate over 30,000 landbased video lottery terminals in the country.

All of this lead to the liberalization of the Greek gambling market coming to a standstill. In 2016, the Greek authorities announced they are planning to open the market to foreign competition in order to adapt Greece’s gambling regulations to the EU laws. However, the country’s government has not released an official list of interactive gambling operators that can potentially receive local licenses. At least not so far, which is to say the market continues to be rather under-regulated and restrictive.

Meanwhile, there are over twenty interactive gambling websites that continue to operate under the interim licenses they were granted by the Greek authorities after the enforcement of the Gambling Act in 2011, with PokerStars being one of the most popular options for players from the country. Under the pressure on behalf of the European Commission, the Greek officials have decided in favor of granting permanent licenses to offshore gambling operators. The new permanent licenses are yet to be issued, however, with OPAP still exercising its monopoly in this sector.

Many players from Greece actually opt in for registering at foreign web-based gambling operators that have not acquired a license from local authorities. Because the liberalization of the market is expected to take place soon, many foreign online casinos have already commenced accepting Greek players.

Most Popular Greek Online Casinos

Hunting for reliable online casinos that accept real-money play from Greece? This is just the right spot for you. Our experienced reviewers have done all the heavy lifting for you to provide you with this diligently curated list of the top gambling sites that welcome Greek players.

Our selection is based on multiple criteria of evaluation, including licensing and regulation, game selection and software providers, withdrawal processing timeframes, accepted banking options, and support response times. Each recommended casino comes with a brief overview and breakdown of its pros and cons to help you make the right pick.

The Greek Online Gambling Regulators

All forms of landbased gambling on the territory of Greece are considered legal and are regulated by the so-called Hellenic Gambling Commission. Players at licensed brick-and-mortar venues are allowed to legally engage in a wide range of games, including staples like blackjack, roulette, craps, baccarat, and slots. As far as poker goes, landbased casinos in Greece are permitted to offer a range of variants like 5-Card Stud, Texas Hold’em, 7-Card Stud, and Omaha. The Hellenic Gambling Commission is responsible for monitoring the landbased gambling market in the country, performing various audits, and ensuring fair gaming and transparent conduct in the interest of Greek players.

Online gambling activities, on the other hand, are within the field of responsibility of OPAP, which holds a monopoly over the entire interactive gaming market in the country. In order to obtain a local license, foreign gambling operators need to be based in Greece. In other words, their servers should be located within the boundaries of the country and the websites should utilize the .gr domain, reserved for Greek players exclusively.

Taxes on Online Gambling in Greece

As is usually the case, all licensed gambling operators offering their services to players located in Greece are expected to contribute with taxes. It is precisely these excessive taxes that have driven a number of foreign operators from the Greek market. According to the Greek legislation, all licensed casino operators are expected to pay a flat tax of 35% of their gross revenue.

Since 34% of OPAP are owned by the state, the regulator is placed in a rather favorable position, compared to foreign-based operators. Furthermore, there are no taxes on the winnings of players who gamble at OPAP-licensed establishments. The only exception to this rule is when the profits exceed the amount of €100. Other than that, all winnings of players are subjected to a 10% tax.

Greek Online Casinos FAQs

Is it obligatory to gamble at HGC-approved casinos?

While not mandatory, playing at locally approved online casinos is highly recommended. HGC licensees uphold the highest possible standards of reputability, fairness, and security, although some offshore casinos can also match them in this respect. Regardless of your choice, you should always opt for reliable and properly regulated online casinos that receive positive feedback overall.

What KYC policies do Greek-friendly online casinos follow?

All gambling operators licensed in the country must conduct verification checks on their customers to prevent money laundering, underage gambling, and other forms of fraud. Standard KYC verification requires uploading or sending a set of documents the casino can use to confirm your age, identity, residential address, and payment method. It usually takes between 24 and 72 hours to complete the verification process.

Is taking a break from gambling an option at Greek online casinos?

All trusted online casinos operating in the country give customers the opportunity to take short breaks from gambling, typically known as “cool-off” periods. Permanent or temporary self-exclusion is an option for players whose gambling has started to become more problematic. The country’s government recently made moves to introduce tougher player protection laws, including a nationwide self-exclusion register maintained by the HGC.

Deposit Methods for Greek Online Casino Players

Greek players can hardly complain of lacking options where deposit methods are concerned. They can have a pick from multiple trusted payment solutions, ranging from familiar options like cards and bank transfers to innovative virtual wallets and prepaid vouchers. The four methods covered below reign supreme at Greek-friendly online casinos thanks to their efficiency, low costs, convenience, and superior transaction speed. Check them all out to decide which one best suits your needs and preferences.

Viva Wallet

Viva Wallet is an electronic wallet service tailored specifically to the needs of Greek players. This innovative payment solution has become a one-stop shop for local gamblers as it facilitates both deposits and withdrawals. The method is accepted by most online casinos taking real-money bets from the country, allowing for effortless and speedy single-click transactions to and from your virtual gambling balance. Payments with this method are not associated with extra charges, either, which renders it a great option for casual gamblers with a limited budget at their disposal.

To get started with Viva Wallet, players must download the app, register a personal account, and create a free virtual Mastercard-branded debit card. They can then link their virtual cards to Google Pay and Apple Pay to start transacting effortlessly on their mobile devices. There are various ways to top up your personal Viva Wallet account, including standard bank transfers, physical cards, and other e-wallet services.

Transferring some funds in person at physical retail locations (Viva Spots) is also an option. Players can keep track of their wallets’ balance in real time and will benefit from high levels of security as the Viva Wallet app supports fingerprint authentication. The service has started to gain traction outside Greece as well. It is currently available to payees from 23 countries, including Belgium, Romania, Hungary, Poland, and Sweden.

Neteller

Neteller is yet another robust electronic wallet suitable for Greek players looking to transact quickly, efficiently, and safely. The payment method is widely accepted at gambling sites friendly to customers from the country and has become the go-to choice of many local gamblers. Neteller is, first and foremost, a digital wallet, although various other payment products fall under its remit, including virtual and prepaid Net+ cards.

Players must create free accounts and top them up to get started with Neteller. Credit and debit cards, standard bank transfers, online banking, and prepaid vouchers are all viable ways to deposit some funds to your Neteller balance. Online casino deposits are instant, free, and highly secure with Neteller. Withdrawals back to Neteller are possible as well, but require more time to process due to the internal payment verification procedures gambling operators must follow.

Security is one of the biggest advantages Neteller has to offer. It enables safe and anonymous payments as all transactions are initiated with the wallet login credentials of users (email and wallet password). Greek players can further protect their Neteller accounts by adding two-step authentication whereby they must enter a unique code sent to their mobile devices each time they log in.

Okto.Cash

Okto.Cash is a prepaid e-voucher that enables players from Greece to deposit into their online casino balance without revealing their sensitive information. The solution has expanded its reach beyond Greece and is currently supported by online merchants in a dozen or so countries, including Spain, Croatia, and Germany.

Okto.Cash e-vouchers can be generated at more than 15,000 points of sale around the country. Many Greek online casinos have also adopted it. Low-cost and quick transactions, user-friendliness, and reliability are all key traits of this payment solution. To use Okto.Cash, you must select the method in the casino cashier and enter your preferred deposit amount to generate a unique paycode associated with the transaction.

The next step involves finding a nearby point of sale in the store locator and showing the paycode to the cashier. After the salesperson scans the code, the player pays for the transaction in cash and the funds are instantly credited to their online gaming account. The Okto.Cash system will also notify you via text message upon completion of the payment. One of the few flaws of depositing with this e-voucher is that it does not work for withdrawals, at least for the time being.

Credit and Debit Cards

Cards are immensely popular among Greeks as official statistics clearly show. The country had approximately 15 million debit and over 2 million credit cards in circulation in 2022. Given their enormous popularity among residents, it is unsurprising that nearly all online casinos that target players from the country have added cards as viable deposit options to their cashier systems. Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, and Discover are commonly supported for gambling transactions.

Card deposits are associated with numerous advantages, starting with their high levels of security and instant access to your money. Deposits with them are instantaneous, not to mention most gambling operators cover the processing costs so that players themselves do not incur extra fees. Throw full withdrawal support into the bargain and it is easy to see what makes cards the preferred choice of many real-money gamblers from Greece.

Some players may feel uncomfortable with the idea of sharing their card number and expiry date during the deposit process. Such worries are totally ungrounded as both card issuers and online gambling companies operating in the country shield card payees from fraud with advanced firewalls and sophisticated SSL encryptions.

Popular Games and Live Dealer Products in Greece

Greek-friendly online casinos offer a proliferation of premium gaming options and products to residents of the country, covering a broad spectrum of preferences, budgets, and play styles. Their libraries are powered by prestigious software suppliers authorized by the Hellenic Gaming Commission to distribute their services within the country. Prominent examples include Evolution Gaming, Pragmatic Play, Playtech, NetEnt, Red Tiger, and Big Time Gaming, to mention a few.

The games undergo additional audits by independent testing houses like eCOGRA to ensure the long-term results they produce coincide with their advertised payback percentages. All these requirements help create a stringently regulated and fair gaming environment for all Greek casino players.

Slots reign supreme in the portfolios of all gambling sites catering to the local iGaming community. Thousands of enticing titles are available to accommodate reel spinners across the board, regardless of the features and themes they prefer. MegawaysTM releases enjoy massive popularity among local reel spinners as they are capable of producing hundreds of possible winning combinations on each spin. Notable titles from this category include Big Bass Bonanza, Madame Destiny, and Extra Chilli, among others.

Progressive slots are another beloved slot subgenre in Greece and understandably so. Releases like NetEnt’s Divine Fortune and Playtech’s Age of the Gods are part of wide-area progressive networks where jackpots accumulate across multiple online casinos. This peculiarity allows the jackpots to surge to impressive amounts.

Table games comprise yet another popular category of gambling products at Greek-friendly online casinos. Variations with different table limits are available to accommodate a broad range of bankrolls and risk-tolerance levels. Classics like Multifire Roulette, Premium European Roulette, Cashback Blackjack, First Person Craps, and Mini Baccarat are commonly listed in the portfolios of gambling operators accepting registrations from the country.

Players looking to hone their video poker strategy can put their skills to the test in multiple single-hand and multi-hand variations of the popular card game. Jacks or Better, Tens or Better, Joker Poker, Deuces Wild, and Bonus Poker are all commonly available for real-money play. Make sure you check the paytables in advance as they differ across the available variations and have a direct impact on your expected returns.

An increasing number of Greek players favor live dealer table games over their randomly generated cousins, which have started to grow out of fashion. Reputable providers of live dealer solutions like Evolution Gaming, Ezugi, and Pragmatic Play cater to popular demand with extensive catalogs of live blackjack, roulette, baccarat, and house-banked poker variations. Game shows are also enjoying increasing popularity in the Greek market as of late, with Crazy Time, Dream Catcher, and Cash or Crash ranking as the most beloved titles among fans of the genre.

The Future of Online Gambling in Greece

Greek authorities have already made the first steps toward opening the country’s gambling market to foreign competition since over twenty offshore casino providers are currently operating under interim licenses. However, the excessive taxes imposed on foreign gambling operators appear to be the biggest stall in the path toward market liberalization. Excessive taxation is precisely what might drive foreign companies away from Greece.

Furthermore, the beginning of 2016 saw the Greek government coming up with the decision to increase the existing tax on the operators’ gross revenue from 30% to a flat rate of 35%, which led to speculations that OPAP has pushed for increasing the tax rates in an attempt to deter foreign competition from applying for local licenses.

The country overhauled its gambling legislation in 2019 and opened its gambling market to foreign operators looking to acquire fixed-term renewable licenses from the Hellenic Gaming Commission. At the time of publication, only 15 or so companies are licensed by the local watchdog. Many others continue to service players from the Greek market with offshore licenses issued by other regulatory bodies.