Greek gambling regulator to focus on VIP players amid verification drive

The EEEP has requested information from operators about how high-value players are registered, retained and incentivised.

Key takeaways:

• The Hellenic Gaming Commission (EEEP) is exploring reforms intended to strengthen player verification, including measures to prevent individuals from registering multiple gambling accounts under different identities.
• The regulator is also increasing its focus on VIP and high-value customers, requesting information from all 18 licensed operators about how these players are registered, retained and incentivised.
• The EEEP has reportedly requested information from all 18 licensed operators regarding how they acquire, manage and reward premium customers. 

Greece.- The Greek gambling regulator is reportedly considering reforms to player verification procedures as it seeks to strengthen oversight of the country’s fast-growing online betting and gaming sector. The Hellenic Gaming Commission (EEEP) aims to address perceived weaknesses in existing registration processes that can allow individuals to create multiple accounts under different identities across various gambling platforms. 

A central element of the proposed reforms is the creation of a unified player verification framework. At present, online gambling operators are responsible for verifying customers individually, but regulators are said to believe this fragmented approach no longer provides sufficient safeguards for the Greek market.

The preferred solution is understood to involve the creation of a single point of verification for all players, potentially using the Greek government’s e-Gov platform. While the system already supports licensing applications for affiliates and other key gambling industry participants, it has not yet been expanded into a universal identity-verification mechanism for consumers.

The move follows the abandonment of an earlier proposal that would have used the country’s banking sector as a central certification hub. That initiative did not proceed after the General Secretariat for Information Systems determined there was no legal basis to support such a framework.

As discussed during a recent meeting hosted by the regulator, the initiative forms part of a review of customer identification standards and comes alongside increased regulatory attention on VIP and high-value customers. The regulator is said to be examining areas including retention strategies, bonus programmes and hospitality arrangements offered to high-value players.

The EEEP has reportedly requested information from all 18 licensed operators regarding how they acquire, manage and reward premium customers. Although the Commission has maintained that the data collection exercise is intended for statistical purposes, some view it as an attempt to gain a clearer picture of a segment that has traditionally faced less intensive scrutiny. Concerns remain that generous incentives aimed at VIP players could potentially encourage gambling activity to migrate towards unlicensed offshore operators, creating challenges for both regulatory supervision and tax collection.

The EEEP reported a 6.7 per cent rise in regulated Greek gambling revenue in 2025. According to the commission’s annual report, gross gaming revenue (GGR) from licensed operators reached €3.07bn.

The Greek Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis recently warned social media influencers that authorities were already enforcing measures introduced via Bill 5313/2026 in June. The legislation expanded the EEEP’s authority and introduced tougher sanctions for individuals and organisations involved in the promotion or facilitation of illegal gambling. His comments come after the country’s gambling regulator submitted legal complaints against 18 high-profile online personalities, including rappers and models with a combined audience of 3.6 million followers, over allegations of promoting unlicensed gambling services. 

FAQs

Why is the EEEP reviewing player verification in Greece?
The regulator believes the current system, where each operator verifies customers separately, may not be robust enough and can allow players to create multiple accounts under different identities.

What is the proposed solution for player certification?
The EEEP is considering a unified verification system, potentially using Greece’s e-Gov platform as a single gateway for confirming player identities across all licensed operators.

Why is the Greek gambling  regulator examining VIP and high-value customers?
The EEEP wants to better understand how operators attract and reward premium players, including the use of bonuses and hospitality, amid concerns about maintaining regulatory oversight and preventing gambling activity from moving to unlicensed operators.