Greece keeps higher tax on online casino winnings as enforcement staff expanded

Greece will keep the higher tax on online casino winnings that took effect on 1 July 2026, the government and the Hellenic Gaming Commission confirmed, after state receipts and market figures through August showed rising collections. Tax withheld from player winnings reached €369.4m in January to August 2026, up 27.3% year-on-year, and the regulator has opened recruitment for 40 seconded inspectors with applications closing on 6 November.

What changed on 1 July

Since 1 July 2026, online casino winnings between €100 and €500 per session are taxed at 20%, up from 15%. Winnings above €500 per session are taxed at 30%, up from 20%. The first €100 of winnings per session remains tax-free. The change applies to online casino-style games, including slots and poker. OPAP’s betting and retail products are governed by a separate regime and are not affected.

Minister of National Economy and Finance Kyriakos Pierrakakis presented the increase at a 23 March press conference with Deputy Minister Thanos Petralias; the hike formed part of a €300m package intended to cushion households and businesses from rising energy costs, Pagenews reported. Pierrakakis said at the press conference, in remarks translated from Greek: “The revenue is calculated at €100m a year.” The ministry expects about €50m in additional receipts in the second half of 2026, with the full-year effect arriving in 2027.

Receipts and market numbers through August

EEEP data published in late October show tax on player winnings of €369.4m for January–August 2026 compared with €290.2m a year earlier, according to Powergame. Gross gaming revenue (GGR) across the licensed market increased 4.2% to €2.06bn, while the state’s participation rights from operators rose 7.9% to €484.5m. Combined, tax on winnings and participation rights produced €853.9m, up about 15.5% year-on-year.

Online operators drove the gains: online GGR climbed 13.1% to €853.7m, representing roughly 41.4% of the legal market. OPAP’s retail network, including VLTs, recorded a 1.2% decline in GGR to €962.5m. These figures cover the full January–August period and all verticals; the higher tax rates applied only in July and August, and the published data do not isolate how much of the increase is attributable specifically to the new withholding rates.

Government modelling and illegal-market risk

The Finance Ministry said it modelled demand elasticity before raising rates and left the lowest band untouched. Before the change, the state collected about €270m a year in tax on winnings from these games; the ministry expects that to climb to roughly €370m. In March, Pierrakakis also indicated forthcoming measures to prevent the tax rise from pushing players toward illegal operators.

EEEP’s own statistics underline the enforcement challenge: an estimated 799,000 Greeks played on illegal networks in 2024, generating turnover of about €1.67bn, which cost the state roughly €400m in lost revenue. Authorities estimate around 11,000 illegal gambling websites operate in Greece. The reform package adopted earlier in the year speeds blocking of illegal sites, expands a blacklist, grants inspectors investigative powers and the authority to seal premises, and raises potential prison terms for organisers of illegal games of chance to at least 10 years. Administrative fines now extend to advertising illegal gambling, including through influencers; authorities have filed complaints against 18 influencers.

Enforcement push: 40 inspectors and headcount increase

The Hellenic Gaming Commission (EEEP) has opened 40 posts in its Gaming Inspectors Corps to be filled by secondment from the public sector. Applications close on 6 November 2026. The intake comprises seven IT specialists, 25 administrative and economic officers, three legal staff and five accountants. Candidates must have at least five years of public service.

The EEEP said in its call, translated from Greek: “With 40 posts in the Gaming Inspectors Corps, we invite officials from across the public sector to bring their experience, ideas and creative thinking to the EEEP.” The reform also raises EEEP’s permanent headcount from 80 to 110 posts; previous recruitment drives were hindered by secondees preferring higher-paying authorities such as tax body AADE, former chair Dimitris Ntzanatos told Powergame.

Operator response and what to watch next

Some licensed operators are already absorbing part of the new tax to avoid reducing player payouts. bet365 informs Greek customers that it covers the tax due on the 20% band so those winnings are not reduced by withholding, according to its Greek help centre. Licensed operators also pay a 35% GGR tax, meaning any player-tax absorption reduces operator margin.

The first full quarter after the rate change will provide a cleaner test of whether demand elasticity assumptions hold. If online GGR continues to rise at double-digit rates while withheld tax climbs, the ministry will argue its model was correct. A marked slowdown in online activity would strengthen critics’ claims that higher withholding pushes players toward the illegal market.

Greece’s moves sit alongside regional and international pressure on illegal operators: neighbouring Cyprus has signalled zero tolerance for unlicensed sites, and in the UK higher duties have created job risks at major groups. For now, Athens is increasing enforcement capacity while keeping the higher online winnings tax in place.