Greece Issues Warning to Influencers Over Illegal Betting Ads.
Finance Minister in Greece Kyriakos Pierrakakis, has warned social media influencers that promoting unlicensed gambling can lead to penalties. Authorities are investigating 18 online personalities whose audiences total 3.6 million followers.
In June, the Hellenic Gaming Commission (EEEP) filed criminal complaints accusing the influencers and streamers of advertising illegal betting platforms. Their identities have not been made public. Pierrakakis said the rules apply no matter where a gambling platform is based or which social network carries its promotions.
“The message in every direction must be one: the internet is not a jungle. Popularity does not grant immunity, and influence carries responsibility,” said Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Minister of National Economy and Finance.
Penalties for promoters and intermediaries
A gambling law passed in June sets fines of €5,000 to €50,000 per violation for online personalities convicted of promoting unlicensed gambling, according to the Finance Ministry. Internet service providers, advertisers and other third parties that facilitate illegal gambling can face fines ranging from €1,000 to €2 million per violation. The original bill, introduced in March, proposed a maximum fine of €800,000. The legislation treats illegal gambling as both a criminal and economic threat—a framework the government says is the first of its kind in Europe. It also gives the EEEP broader oversight powers.
The law also targets people who place bets on unlicensed platforms for others. Greek media reports on the bill say these intermediaries could face up to two years in prison and a minimum fine of €5,000, increasing to €10,000 for repeat offences.
Separately, the law raised taxes on winnings from online poker and live casino games. Winnings up to €500 are now taxed at 20%, up from 15%, while winnings above €500 are taxed at 30%, up from 20%. Players retain a €100 tax-free allowance per session.
Black-market betting estimated at €1.8 billion
The government estimates that wagers placed through Greece’s illegal gambling market will reach €1.8 billion in 2025, with about 900,000 Greek players using unlicensed sites. Those figures exceed estimates published alongside the Finance Ministry’s action plan in August 2025. That report put illegal turnover in 2024 at €1.7 billion and the number of players at 799,000. Greek media reports on the June complaints estimated that the state loses around €400 million in tax revenue each year.
Read Also: 18 Influencers Under Investigation in Greece for Unlicensed Gambling Promotions
Authorities have blocked 15,000 websites to date. In July, Greece also approved DNS blocking for illegal gambling sites, giving the EEEP another tool to restrict access to unlicensed operators. The illegal market competes directly with licensed operators for customers. Money wagered offshore generates no Greek tax revenue and falls outside the country’s player-protection rules, including age checks and self-exclusion measures.
Concerns about underage audiences
When the EEEP filed its complaints in June, it said minors made up a large share of the influencers’ combined audience. The five biggest accounts each had between 337,000 and 623,000 followers. The government has also highlighted Greece’s high rate of teenage gambling compared with other EU countries. Unlicensed sites pose a particular concern because they are not required to use the age-verification measures imposed on licensed Greek operators.
Court cases will test the new law
The new fines for influencers apply only after a conviction, meaning the 18 cases must now proceed through the Greek courts. Their outcomes will provide the first test of the June law’s penalties for individual promoters. Intermediaries face potentially greater financial exposure. Internet providers and advertisers that continue to carry illegal gambling content risk fines of up to €2 million per violation, while the EEEP can use DNS blocking to restrict access to the sites they support.
