Faced with an illegal gambling market with an estimated annual turnover of 1.7 billion euros, the Greek government has unveiled a comprehensive action plan to curb illicit betting and strengthen oversight.
Announced by Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis, the plan will increase on-site inspections of illegal gambling dens and, for the first time, systematically target social media influencers who advertise for unlicensed websites.
The crackdown follows a survey commissioned by the Hellenic Gaming Commission which revealed that nearly 800,000 people gambled illegally in 2024.
More than half of those were under the age of 44.
Authorities said the new measures are designed to dismantle illegal networks and protect young people, who are particularly vulnerable.
The government will also pursue legal action against regional media outlets that run covert ads for illegal betting platforms.