Online gambling generated 88% of Greece's regulated market growth in H1 2026

Online gambling generated 88% of the growth in regulated gambling revenues in Greece during the first half of 2026, according to figures released following a regulator report. Total gross gaming revenue (GGR) reached €1.558 billion, up 8% versus the same period a year earlier, while state revenues rose 14.4% to €627.3 million.

Online growth and market share: how it reached 88%

The expansion of the digital segment was the main driver behind the net €116.0 million increase in GGR in H1 2026. Online GGR rose 18.7% to €647.2 million, contributing €102.1 million of the total increase. Land-based gaming still accounted for the largest share of the market with €910.6 million in GGR, but its growth was only 1.6%, equivalent to €13.9 million.

The result placed online operators' market share at 41.5%, up from 37.8% in the prior comparable period. The report reminds readers that GGR measures revenue after player payouts and before operating costs and taxes, so it differs from total stakes or corporate profit figures.

State revenues and an evolving regulatory framework

State receipts rose from €548.3 million in the previous first half to €627.3 million in H1 2026. That 14.4% increase occurred alongside legislation designed to strengthen the regulatory authority and clarify the operational framework for the sector.

At an informational briefing on 6 October, the Minister of Economy and Finance, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, linked the improved receipts to implementation of the new regulatory scheme and to supervisory actions taken by the authority.

"Popularity does not confer immunity, and influence carries responsibility," said Kyriakos Pierrakakis, translated from Greek.

Technology supervision: the Hellenic Gaming Commission and AI against unlicensed activity

The Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC) now uses an artificial intelligence platform to detect sites that may offer or promote unlicensed gambling. The system collects and analyses evidence that can support subsequent regulatory actions.

The chairman of the Hellenic Gaming Commission, Antonis Vartholomaios, said at the same forum that player protection requires a regulated market with clear rules for all providers.

"The primary condition to protect the player is a regulated market, with clear rules for all providers," Antonis Vartholomaios said, translated from Greek.

Concrete actions: complaints and measures against irregular promotion

Authorities filed criminal complaints against 18 influencers for promoting gambling activity, Pierrakakis reported at the 6 October press conference. The move underlines the government's and the regulator's intent to target not only unlicensed operators but also those who act as promoters on social media and other channels.

Procedures combine the AI platform's automated detection with manual evidence collection to substantiate the complaints.

Projections and outlook: estimates to 2040

Deloitte Business Solutions, in a study commissioned by the Hellenic Gaming Commission, projects that online gambling could represent about half of a Greek market valued at €5.25 billion by 2040. The same study forecasts a compound annual growth rate of 4.6% between 2026 and 2030.

Those estimates position the online channel as the main structural growth engine for the sector medium to long term, although current half-year figures show land‑based still provides the larger absolute volume.

Implications for [operators and technology providers](/b2b)

The rise in online share, together with the regulator's adoption of AI tools, increases pressure on operators and technology vendors to improve compliance, marketing controls and audit capability. Regulatory changes and the prospect of tougher penalties — illustrated by the recent complaints — raise the cost of non-compliance. [Regulation](/regulation) will therefore be a key input for product roadmaps and vendor contracts.

Operators seeking to mitigate regulatory risk should review customer onboarding flows, promotion logging and relationships with affiliates and influencers. Detection and evidence-archiving solutions, as well as integrations with ad verification systems, become critical elements.

What to watch next

The sector will watch two main signals: the quarterly trend of online versus land‑based share and the progress of legal actions arising from detected irregular promotion. The practical rollout of the Hellenic Gaming Commission's AI and how social platforms and influencers respond to tighter oversight will also be relevant. Coverage of these developments will appear in [news](/news) where appropriate.

The combination of digital growth, higher state receipts and active regulatory enforcement sketches a picture of consolidation in Greece's regulated market while penalties for unauthorised activity are being tightened.