The cradle of Western civilisation, Greece boasts fantastic weather, crystal-clear waters, pristine beaches and ambrosial food. It’s one of the best travel destinations you can pick, so it’s our job to ensure you’re up to scratch with the local gambling laws and best Greece betting sites. Stay with us and we’ll take you through everything you need to know!
- Online Betting in Greece
- Best Betting Sites We Recommend for Betting in Greece
- Is Online Betting Legal in Greece?
- Good to Know
- Choosing a Good Betting Site in Greece
- Best Payment Methods for Players in Greece
- Live Betting in Greece
- How To Bet Online in Greece
- Is Sports Betting Popular in Greece?
- Best Greek Welcome Offers
- Other Country Betting Guides - Click Each Flag to Learn More
- Best Greece Betting Sites FAQs
- ThePuntersPage Final Say
Online Betting in Greece
To say that Greece has a long history of betting is an understatement. Around 300 years before Cleisthene created the first form of democracy, Grecians had already invented betting during the ancient Olympic Games – starting during the Bronze Age. Betting has been entrenched in Greek history and sports ever since.
In the modern era – some 3000 years after inventing sports betting – Greece continues to improve its betting market. Across the last year, gross gambling revenue (GGR) reached €1.9 billion (£1.67 billion) – 39% of which was through online activity. Meanwhile, the online gambling market is estimated to hit €1 billion by 2024.
Sports betting in Greece has continued to rise in popularity thanks to the many Greek athletes who are making a name for themselves on a global scale – something not seen in a while.
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#1
 bwin
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T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY
18+ | New UK players only | Min deposit req. £10 | Certain deposit methods excluded | Place 1 sport bet (3+ selections) | Excl Horse Racing | Min stake £10 | Max stake £20 | Min Odds 2/1 (3.0) | Max FreeBet £20 for football only | FreeBet valid for 7 days | FreeBet stake not returned | Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
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#2
Sportingbet
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T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY
18+ | New players only | Available until 23:59 GMT 31.12.2025 Each challenge has its own TCs. Eligible Bets must be placed for each respective Challenge during the Promotional Period including the following: ACCA, Football, In-Play, and Casino. Each challenge has its own set of TCs and can only be completed 1x. Available to claim: 20 Free Spins, £10 Free Bet, 50% Back up Free Bet up to £20, £10 Casino Bonus when you wager £50+. If all are completed you will receive Max £20 Free Bet to be used on any sport. Gamble Responsibly. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
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#3
 Unibet
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T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY
18+ begambleaware.org. New customers only. Min deposit £10. Money back as bonus if first bet loses. Wagering requirements: sportsbook 3x at min. odds of 1.40 (2/5), casino 50x. Unless forfeited the sportsbook bonus must be wagered before using the casino bonus. Bonus expires 7 days after opt-in. No deposit required for NI customers. Call 08081699314 to claim. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
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#4
NetBet
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T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY
18+ New customers only from 11.08.2021. £10 bet required to quality within 30 days of registration, Maximum £10 in Free Bets and up to 100 Free Spins. Free Bets valid for 3 days. Bet Responsibly. Terms and conditions apply. Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
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#5
 bet365
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T&Cs APPLY, 18+ ONLY
18+ - Offer for new customers at bet365. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and Full T&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org #ad |
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Is Online Betting Legal in Greece?
When it comes to gambling laws, Greek punters have been on quite the rollercoaster ride over the last few years. To make a long story short, yes, online gambling is legal in Greece if operators have obtained a license from the Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC). The application process for these licences came into force in late 2020, with the intention of regulating a previously chaotic market.
Before all of this, however, the Greek authorities heavily opposed online gambling for a long time. For a period in the early 2000s, a blanket ban on all electronic gaming was in place, which bizarrely even prohibited people playing computer games like chess and backgammon in public! In 2012, online gambling was made officially legal, and interim licenses were issued out to a group of international bookies. The drama didn’t stop there, though, as the Greek government tried to make online gambling a monopoly of state-owned company OPAP A.E. shortly after.
Many lawsuits later, the EU deemed this monopoly to be illegal, leading to the new gambling regulations that have been put in place today.
Having said all this, there are some notable downsides accompanying Greece’s new rules. These include a considerable 35% tax on all gaming revenue, a €2 maximum stake limit on casino games that use an RNG (Random Number Generator), and low maximum winning caps. RNG games must also abide by a three-second spin limit, meaning players must wait until they start a new game cycle, except in the case of poker.
The Hellenic Gaming Commission takes its responsibilities very seriously, providing a full list of non-licenced operators on its website. Known as the ‘Blacklist’, there are currently 4416 bookies who are prohibited to offer their services in Greece.
Despite these restrictions, big names such as bwin, and Sportingbet are all currently plying their trade in the country. You will notice that most Greek bookies don’t offer welcome bonuses or generous betting promotions, though.
Good to Know
- You need to be at least 21 years old to gamble in Greece.
- Maximum winnings for sports bets cannot exceed €500,000.
- All casino games must have a €70,000 prize limit.
- Customers’ winnings between €100 to €500 are taxed at 15% and those above at 20%.
- The euro (€) is accepted by all bookmakers operating in Greece.
Choosing a Good Betting Site in Greece
First things first, when it comes to choosing the best Greece betting sites, we cannot emphasise enough the importance of safety enough. Operators who are licensed by the Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC) will give you an added layer of protection in case something goes wrong. One good way to tell if a site is licensed by the HGC is to look out for a .gr domain in their URL, since this comes together with the license.
On another note, it’s always good to look at what promotions a betting site is offering. As mentioned earlier, due to the hefty tax rates on Greece betting sites, free bet offers are few and far between. Regardless, you’ll still be able to find some promotions being offered, and these are always good to take advantage of to boost your chances of making money.
The design and usability of a betting site is also extremely important to making the right choice. The layout of a good betting site doesn’t only look pleasing to the eye, but also makes it easy for players to navigate from one page to another. On top of this, playing on the go has become the norm for the average punter, so a reliable mobile app is always a massive plus.
Finally, assess the number of payment methods offered, as well as which ones. The more options you have, the easier it will be to transfer funds to and from your betting account.
Best Payment Methods for Players in Greece
Greek betting sites usually offer a variety of payment methods to make life easy for punters. The most common options provided include all major bank cards (Visa, Mastercard), e-wallets (Skrill, NETELLER, PayPal), paysafecard and bank transfers. Viva Wallet, the first e-wallet to be launched in Greece, is also very popular amongst Greek betting sites and allows players to make transactions in a fast and secure manner.
Keep in mind that most Greece betting sites will ask you to withdraw using the same method you deposited with.
Live Betting in Greece
Live betting is a hugely popular in Greece, allowing punters to make bets during an event or match. This means that the odds here are constantly fluctuating depending on how the action continues to unfold, resulting in potentially greater opportunities for your bet to win – or turn against you.
The live markets available in Greece are just as in-depth as those belonging to any of its European counterparts, mainly thanks to the abundance of international bookies available to punters living in the country. Consequently, live betting has become an integral part of betting in Greece – just as it is in the UK.
The livestreaming situation in Greece is rather similar that in the UK, too, and most international bookies who offer the service to British punters also offer it to Greeks as well. With football being the most popular sport by some margin, livestreaming is a great addition to any bettor's arsenal.
How To Bet Online in Greece
Online betting in Greece is fairly simple, and the registration process across most betting sites works in the same way as it does the UK. In fact, if you already have an account with one of the large number of international bookies available in the country, we suggest contacting your bookie to enquire whether you can continue using your UK account in Greece. Most of the time, this is possible, making life a lot easier for obvious reasons!
However, in some cases, it may be best to use a VPN when betting in Greece to make sure that you can continue betting from a particular bookie.
If you’re new to betting, it may be wise to stick to what you know before venturing out into new territories. Starting with smaller stakes is the way to go until you get the hang of how things work – as you gain more experience, you'll be better prepared to handle more complex markets and experiment with different wagering options.
Is Sports Betting Popular in Greece?
Given that the Olympics were born in Greece, it’s no surprise that playing and watching sports is a hugely popular pastime in this country. Sports betting is the second most popular form of gambling in Greece (after the Lottery), with football, basketball and tennis favoured amongst punters.
The Football Super League is a huge source of pride for the Greeks, with clubs like Olympiakos, Panathinaikos, and AEK Athens – clubs who regularly take part in the Champions League and Europa League – all enjoying immense support among the locals.
The Greek basketball league also attracts a large audience and was widely considered to be the best men’s national domestic basketball league in Europe during the 1990s. Currently, the Greek basketball side Olympiacos are top of the EuroLeague table. They also finished second in last year’s table and 4th in last year’s playoff finals.
Meanwhile, Greek tennis player Stefanos Tsitsipas is making waves in the tennis world at the time of writing, becoming the highest-ranked Greek player of all time at just 20 years of age. Tsitsipas is 3rd in the Men’s ATP ranking as of February 2023 at the age of 24. Of course, this has only increased the love this country has for the sport.
Best Greek Welcome Offers
bwin offers an excellent ‘Welcome Challenge’ – a set of six challenges which offer different prizes when completed. You can win up to 300 free spins as well as €100 in free bets and bonuses.
Sportingbet has a similar ‘Welcome Quest’ offer. After making a first deposit, punters have the chance to complete 10 quests to win up to €200 in free bets, bonuses, free spins, and Golden Chips.
Other Country Betting Guides - Click Each Flag to Learn More
Australia
Brazil
Belgium
Canada
Denmark
France
Finland
Germany
Hungary
Hong Kong
India
Ireland
Italy
Netherlands
Nigeria
Portugal
Spain
Sweden
SA
Ukraine
UK
USA
Best Greece Betting Sites FAQs
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Online gambling is legal in Greece, and betting sites can operate so long as they have acquired a licence from the Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC).
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The pool of betting sites is continuously expanding in Greece, with quality bookmakers like bwin and Sportingbet all offering their services in the country at the time of writing.
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You must be at least 21 years old to gamble in Greece.
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Unfortunately, winnings between €100 and €500 are taxed at a rate of 15%, and those above at 20%.
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Major bank cards like Visa and Mastercard, e-wallets like Skrill, NETELLER, PayPal, as well as bank transfers and paysafecard are accepted by most Greek online bookmakers.
ThePuntersPage Final Say
After many years of controversy and legal drama, the rules surrounding gambling laws in Greece look to be finally settling down. While the taxes are high for both operators and players, it’s good to see many renowned international bookmakers being able to set up shop in the country, providing players with a greater degree of variety, reliability and quality.
Jeremy is a die hard Evertonian and a massive sports fan. If he’s not watching Everton, he’s either playing football or watching whatever sport he can find on TV. With a keen interest in sports betting, sports writing is a match made in heaven.
