Greece Blocks 11,000 Illegal Gambling Websites
Summary
The Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC) has issued a major blocking order targeting roughly 11,000 gambling-affiliated websites suspected of serving Greek customers without licencing. The regulator says the move responds to a growing unregulated offshore market estimated at about EUR 1.7 billion a year, which is eroding business from licenced operators and raising player-protection concerns.
The HGC action covers both offshore operators and promotional services that funnel traffic to unlicenced casinos and sportsbooks. Regulators warn the market is resilient: an estimated 10,000 new gambling-related domains may be registered each month, so simple blocking is unlikely to be a permanent solution. Suggested further steps include tougher enforcement tools, measures to make the domestic market more competitive, and clearer licensing rules — particularly ahead of two planned integrated-resort projects in Athens and Maroussi due by 2028.
Key Points
- The HGC blocked about 11,000 websites suspected of offering unlicenced gambling to Greek customers.
- Greece’s offshore/unregulated online gambling market is estimated at around EUR 1.7 billion annually.
- Unregulated sites are undermining licenced operators and pose player-protection risks.
- The offshore market is highly resilient — roughly 10,000 new gambling-related domains may appear each month.
- Experts call for stronger enforcement tools and measures targeting unlicenced operators, not just domain blocks.
- Regulator attention extends to land-based plans: integrated resorts in Athens and Maroussi by 2028, prompting a review of operational and licensing rules.
Context and Relevance
This development matters for operators, regulators and consumers across Europe. High volumes of offshore activity are a common trend in many jurisdictions, and Greece’s sweeping block highlights both the scale of the problem and the limits of domain-level remedies. For licensed operators it signals regulatory pressure to defend market share; for governments it underlines the need to combine enforcement with policy changes that make the domestic market more attractive and safer for players.
The story sits at the intersection of regulatory enforcement, consumer protection and market competitiveness — and it will be watched by other national regulators grappling with the same offshore challenge.
Author style
Punchy: this is a significant regulatory move. If you work in iGaming, regulation or public policy, the details here are worth a read — the action and the longer-term questions it raises could influence regional approaches to unlicenced operators.
Why should I read this?
Quick and blunt — Greece just pulled down 11,000 sites. If you care about where players are playing, who’s losing revenue, or how regulators will respond next, this saves you the digging: big enforcement move, but the problem’s not solved. Read it to know what the regulator wants and why simple blocks might not be enough.
Source
Source: https://www.gamblingnews.com/news/greece-blocks-11000-illegal-gambling-websites/