Greece Opens Cybersecurity Tender to Strengthen Online Gambling Oversight

Greece Launches Cybersecurity Tender for Gambling Market – Regulator Strengthens Player Verification and AML Controls

Key Takeaways

• The Hellenic Gambling Supervision and Control Commission has opened a tender for a specialist legal and technical partner.
• The project focuses on strengthening player identification, KYC procedures and cybersecurity within Greece’s online gambling market.
• The contract runs until the end of 2026 or for 190 consultancy hours, with a value of 28,500 euros excluding VAT.
• The tender forms part of broader legislative reforms to expand regulatory powers and combat illegal gambling.

Tender Targets Secure Player Identification and Certification

The Hellenic Gambling Supervision and Control Commission, known as EEEP, has launched a public tender to appoint what it describes as a specialist legal and technical partner. The selected contractor will support the regulator in redesigning and strengthening the framework for secure player identification in Greece’s regulated online gambling market.

At the core of the initiative is the improvement of Electronic Player Accounts. These accounts are used by licensed online gambling operators to register and identify customers. According to the tender documents, the regulator is seeking assistance with the design and improvement of the framework for the secure identification of gambling players. This also includes the certification and verification process for individuals participating in games of chance through licensed online providers.

The objective is to enhance Know Your Customer procedures and ensure that licensed operators maintain strong safeguards against fraud, financial crime and underage gambling. The successful bidder will provide legal and technical consultancy services until the end of 2026 or until 190 hours of work have been completed. The contract is valued at 28,500 euros excluding VAT.

During the assignment, the contractor must submit three progress reports outlining recommendations and proposals to further strengthen Greece’s player verification framework.

Part of Broader Strategy to Increase Oversight

The tender is not an isolated measure. It forms part of a wider government strategy to tighten oversight of the online gambling sector and reinforce cybersecurity and anti money laundering controls.

The directive aligns with efforts to improve player monitoring and strengthen the regulator’s technical capabilities. By focusing on identity verification and certification processes, the regulator aims to ensure that operators comply with stricter standards in areas such as customer identification and financial monitoring.

For users of licensed gambling platforms, this means that identity checks and account verification processes may become more structured and standardized as the updated framework is implemented. For operators, it signals increased scrutiny of compliance systems tied to Electronic Player Accounts.

Legislative Reform Expands EEEP Powers

The tender follows the submission in June of draft legislation titled Regulations for the Hellenic Gaming Commission and Improvements to the Gaming Framework. The proposal represents the most significant expansion of the regulator’s powers since Greece first regulated its online gambling market.

Under the draft law, the EEEP’s permanent workforce would increase from 80 to 110 employees. Recruitment would focus on specialists in cybersecurity, information technology, intelligence gathering, market surveillance and enforcement. The aim is to strengthen the regulator’s operational capacity to combat illegal gambling networks.

The proposed legislation would also grant the regulator enhanced enforcement powers. These include the authority to order the immediate removal of illegal gambling websites and online content, expand the national blacklist of unlicensed operators and cooperate more closely with law enforcement bodies through an upgraded Gaming Inspectors Corps with formal investigative powers.

Stricter Sanctions Against Illegal Gambling

Alongside institutional reforms, the draft bill introduces tougher penalties for illegal gambling activities. Individuals organizing illegal gambling operations could face prison sentences of at least 10 years. Financial penalties would range from 50,000 euros to 700,000 euros.

Aggravated offences involving organized criminal activity, minors or repeat violations would carry fines of up to 800,000 euros. In cases linked to money laundering, fraud or tax evasion, prison sentences could exceed 10 years.

These measures reflect repeated warnings from Greek Economic Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis, who has described illegal gambling as both a criminal and economic threat. According to government estimates, the black market generates between 1.6 billion and 2 billion euros annually. The state is estimated to lose approximately 600 million euros in tax revenue each year as a result.

Implications for Licensed Operators and Users

The cybersecurity tender and the broader legislative package indicate a coordinated approach to strengthening Greece’s regulated online gambling environment. The focus on Electronic Player Accounts, KYC procedures and AML safeguards directly affects how licensed platforms verify and monitor their customers.

For international users evaluating Greek licensed operators, the reforms highlight a regulatory environment that is moving toward tighter identity controls and stronger enforcement against unlicensed competitors. Operators active in the market can expect closer scrutiny of their compliance systems, particularly in relation to player verification and cybersecurity processes.

Our Assessment

The launch of the cybersecurity tender marks a concrete step in Greece’s plan to reinforce oversight of its online gambling sector. By investing in legal and technical expertise to upgrade player identification and certification systems, the regulator is aligning operational improvements with pending legislative reforms. Combined with expanded enforcement powers and stricter sanctions against illegal gambling, the measures are designed to strengthen compliance standards within the licensed market and address the estimated multibillion euro black market activity identified by the government.