Greek regulator EEEP presses for unified player verification and closer scrutiny of VIP customers

The Hellenic Gaming Commission (EEEP), Greece's independent gambling regulator, is reportedly leading efforts to close loopholes that let players register several times under different names across multiple platforms. The issue was cited at a recent meeting hosted by the EEEP, according to local reporting.

Alongside the identification reforms, the regulator is stepping up its attention to VIPs and high-value customers, who may wager sums running into hundreds of thousands of euros a year. The Commission has reportedly asked all 18 licensed operators how they register, retain and incentivise these players, including through bonuses and hospitality. The EEEP has said the information is being collected for statistical purposes, but industry insiders read it as an attempt to better understand and control a segment that has historically faced lighter oversight.

The underlying worry is that generous perks for VIPs could push activity away from the regulated market and toward unlicensed foreign platforms, weakening tax compliance and regulatory control.

On verification, online operators currently certify customers individually. Regulators are said to regard that fragmented approach as too weak for the Greek market and are pushing for a single, reliable identity check. One main aim is a "single gate" for player certification, potentially run through the state's e-Gov platform. That platform already handles licence applications for people involved in affiliate promotion and other key roles in the sector, but it does not yet provide a universal verification framework for all players. An earlier idea to use banks as a certification hub was dropped after the General Secretariat for Information Systems said there was no legal authority for such a system.

The moves come as the Greek market continues to grow. Earlier this year, Ed Birkin, managing director at H2 Gambling Capital, described Greece as an attractive market growing at around 15% year on year, with roughly EUR 1.2 billion in gross win, forecast to reach EUR 1.5 billion in the next couple of years. Online channels have seen particularly strong growth, and regulatory clarity and predictability are often cited as key reasons gaming activity has concentrated in the country.