Greece Recruits 40 Gambling Inspectors as Illegal Market Hits €1.8 Billion

Greece's gambling regulator, the Hellenic Gaming Commission (EEEP), is recruiting 40 inspectors for its enforcement corps, with applications closing Nov. 6, 2026, according to multiple Greek media reports.

The hires target a black market that Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis put at about €1.8 billion ($2 billion) in 2025. He said about 900,000 people gambled with illegal operators that year, and about 15,000 websites had been put on the regulator's blacklist.

Inspectors Gain Investigators' Powers

The posts are secondments. They will be filled by staff moved over from elsewhere in the Greek public sector, not by an open hiring round, according to multiple Greek media reports.

They follow a law passed in June. Pierrakakis said it gave the regulator 110 permanent posts, including 40 for specialist staff, and handed its inspectors special investigative powers.

The same law lets the regulator fine anyone who promotes illegal gambling online up to €50,000 ($56,000) per violation. Running illegal games now carries prison terms and fines that reach €800,000 ($900,000) in aggravated cases, such as those involving minors, according to multiple reports on the bill.

Influencers Face the First Cases

On Oct. 6, Pierrakakis said complaints had been filed against 18 influencers accused of promoting illegal gambling. The cases are at the preliminary investigation stage, and the government has not named the people involved.

"The internet is not a jungle. Popularity does not confer immunity, and influence entails responsibility."

Pierrakakis made the remark at the regulator's offices. He said the agency now uses artificial intelligence tools to map illegal networks and find unlicensed sites faster, then works with Greece's telecom regulator and internet providers to block them.

The illegal market is growing. In July 2025, Pierrakakis cited a 2024 survey by the regulator that found almost 800,000 people played with unlicensed operators, wagering about €1.67 billion. Greece is not alone in pursuing promoters: Australia's celebrity gambling-ad ban also reaches small influencers.

Applications for the 40 inspector posts close on Nov. 6. The 18 influencer cases remain under preliminary investigation, and whether any of them reach court is still open.

Treat gambling as entertainment you pay for. 18+, and if it stops feeling like entertainment, help exists at BeGambleAware and GamCare.