An iGaming marketing agency in Greece plans and runs player acquisition, SEO, affiliate and CRM programmes for operators that hold a Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC) online licence, and it only runs material the HGC has already approved. A licensed operator can advertise betting and casino products to adults aged 21 and over, but no commercial communication is allowed without HGC approval of a Commercial Communication Plan, and ads may not promote bonuses, use public figures or appear as pop-ups.
Greece runs a split market. Land-based games are run under exclusive rights granted by the State, while online gambling operates under free competition among licensed companies. The online framework was rewritten by Articles 189 to 203 of Law 4635/2019, which set the licence price and the conditions applicants must meet and moved licensing to the HGC. Today 18 companies hold an online licence for betting (Type 1) and/or other online games such as RNG casino, live casino and poker (Type 2).
Basher is an iGaming marketing agency founded in 2020 in Lima, Peru, with offices in Lima, Rotterdam and the Gold Coast, and named AffPapa Agency of the Year 2025. We work only with licensed operators. In Greece that means HGC licence holders or companies applying for an HGC licence, never brands on the HGC blacklist.
Market snapshot 2026
- Regulator: Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC, in Greek ΕΕΕΠ); the old gamingcommission.gov.gr address now redirects to hgc.gov.gr
- Governing law: Law 4002/2011, Articles 25 to 54, as amended by Law 4635/2019; online rules in Ministerial Decision 79835 ΕΞ 2020 (Β' 3265); advertising rules in Ministerial Decision 79292 ΕΞ 2020 (Β' 3260)
- Licence types: Type 1 for online betting and Type 2 for other online games; one company can hold both
- Licensed online operators: 18, listed in the HGC register of licence holders
- Market size: total gambling GGR of EUR 3.073 billion in 2025, with online at 38.79% (about EUR 1.19 billion) and online GGR up 10.51% on 2024
- Online product split 2025: fixed-odds betting 40.27% of online GGR, other online games (live casino, poker, slots) 59.73%
- Tax: the State takes 35% of gross gaming revenue, paid within 16 days of the end of each month
- Minimum age online: 21
- Blacklist: 53rd edition, HGC decision 24363 of 29 July 2026, with more than 14,000 illegal sites listed
| Item | Type 1 (online betting) | Type 2 (other online games) |
|---|---|---|
| Licence price | EUR 3,000,000 | EUR 2,000,000 |
| Duration | 7 years | 7 years |
| Application fee | EUR 10,000 | EUR 10,000 |
| HGC decision deadline | 2 months, silence counts as rejection | 2 months, silence counts as rejection |
Why this market is hard to enter
The first barrier is cost and structure. Applicants must be legal entities seated or permanently established in Greece or another EU/EEA state, with at least EUR 200,000 paid-up capital. Games must run on sites with a .gr domain, and each site can host at most one licence of each type. Applicants based outside Greece must physically install a safe server in Greece connected to the HGC. The licence price can be paid in one go or in four equal annual instalments, and the 35% GGR rate applies on top.
The second barrier is the advertising regime. Greece runs pre-clearance, not just a code of conduct. The licence holder submits a Commercial Communication Plan with all creative, the schedule and budget, the media and estimated number of ads per medium, and the list of affiliates. The HGC approves within 30 days and can cut the extent, budget or media of a plan. Every ad must be submitted and approved beforehand; unapproved material cannot be used.
The third barrier is competition with unlicensed play. The HGC's own 2025 survey found that 10.6% of the population took part in unlicensed gambling at least once in 2025, with online the main channel. Licensed brands compete with offshore sites on bonuses they are not allowed to advertise, which shifts the work toward search visibility, product and retention.
How Basher executes here
For Greece we typically lead with these four services:
- SEO and content. Because ads may not promote bonuses, gifts or discounts tied to the cost of play, organic search on the operator's .gr site carries more weight than in markets where bonus ads are allowed. We build Greek-language content around sports, markets and game information, and keep it inside the rules: the operator's website and its social media pages count as commercial communication and must name the HGC as regulator with a link. See our iGaming SEO service.
- Affiliate marketing. Licence holders must pick affiliates from the HGC Register of Affiliates, and each affiliate needs an HGC suitability licence under decision 509/1/11.09.2020. We vet partners against that register, keep contracts aligned with the approved plan, and check that affiliates do not market to players directly by newsletter or RSS. See affiliate marketing.
- Media buying. Google Ads, display and advertorials, including affiliate placements, must carry the required harm information, and pop-ups, pop-unders and overlays are banned. We plan paid media around formats that leave room for the mandatory marking and around inventory that keeps away from minors. See media buying.
- Managed CRM. Direct marketing is allowed within Greek and EU privacy law, but it is prohibited to players who are self-excluded or excluded for as long as that lasts. Loyalty rewards can be communicated individually to players who consented, or on the operator's own website. CRM is where most of the legal promotional room sits.
PR, sponsorships and analytics sit alongside these. Sponsorship is allowed, but the licence holder must be clearly identifiable as sponsor, and sponsorship aimed at minors or school events is not permitted.
Channel mix that works in Greece
We do not publish a fixed budget split for Greece because the HGC can limit the extent, budget and media of each approved plan. The mix follows what each channel allows:
- Search and the .gr site: the main owned channel. Fixed odds may be shown on the licence holder's website, affiliate sites and sports media, but not in other ads.
- Social media: posts must carry the harm messages of paragraph 8.9, and odds on specific markets may appear on the operator's social channels, but promoting them as ads to users is not allowed.
- TV, radio and sports media: product placement is banned except in sports programmes, and ads cannot run before, during or right after underage sporting events or programmes made for minors.
- Outdoor: sites must be at least 200 metres from primary and secondary schools.
- Creator and celebrity formats: ads may not use real or virtual people whose publicity or appeal shapes opinion, so these formats are effectively unavailable for product advertising.
Regulatory + compliance considerations
Every ad must state the HGC as regulator, the age limit, the gambling helpline and a warning about addiction and loss of property. HGC Directive 3/2023 sets the marking, in full form: "21+ | HGC | RISK OF ADDICTION & LOSS OF ASSETS | HELPLINE: 210 9237777 | PLAY RESPONSIBLY", with shorter versions for small formats. Demo "play for fun" games in ads follow the same rules as real-money games, and HGC Directive 1/2026 adds guidance on that point.
Agencies carry their own duty. Under the advertising regulation, advertising service providers and affiliates must ask the licence holder for the HGC approval decision and the approved content before running or promoting any campaign. Any agency running Greek campaigns should hold that paperwork for every flight.
The blacklist is the enforcement tool on the other side. A site can be listed if it offers unlicensed games and is reachable from a Greek IP. Once listed, internet providers block access and banks and payment institutions stop transactions with the provider, and blacklisted entities cannot be licensed or take part in a licensed operator. A company on the blacklist in the year before applying cannot receive a licence.
Other regulated European markets
Basher has an office in Rotterdam (Netherlands) and runs the same licensed-only playbook in the markets next to Greece: Italy, Malta, Romania, Czech Republic, Spain. The cross-border view, with every regulator side by side, is on our regulated Europe page, and the full service line-up for operators is on the iGaming marketing agency services page.
FAQs
What does an iGaming agency in Greece do for a licensed operator?
It plans and runs acquisition and retention for an HGC licence holder: SEO on the .gr site, paid media, registered affiliates, CRM, PR and sponsorship. In Greece it also prepares creative and media details for the Commercial Communication Plan the HGC must approve, and checks that every placement carries the 21+ HGC marking.
Is online gambling legal in Greece?
Yes, for companies holding an HGC licence. Type 1 covers online betting and Type 2 covers other online games; the 18 licence holders are listed in the HGC register. Games covered by exclusive land-based rights may not be offered online.
How is online gambling taxed in Greece?
The State's share is 35% of gross gaming revenue, paid within 16 days of the end of each month. The licence price is separate: EUR 3 million for betting and EUR 2 million for other online games, for 7 years.
Can a licensed operator advertise bonuses in Greece?
Not in general ads. Commercial announcements may not promote bonuses, gifts, benefits or discounts linked to the cost of play. The exception is loyalty schemes communicated individually to consenting players or shown on the operator's own website.
Do affiliates need a licence in Greece?
Yes. Affiliates need an HGC suitability licence and registration in the Register of Affiliates, with a EUR 1,000 fee, and licence holders may only work with registered affiliates.
Does Basher work with unlicensed operators targeting Greece?
No. We work only with licensed operators. A brand that is not licensed by the HGC and is reachable from Greece can end up on the blacklist, and we do not support it.
How much does an iGaming marketing agency cost in Greece?
Agency fees follow three models: a monthly retainer (typical for SEO, content and CRM), performance pricing tied to results (CPA, revenue share or a percentage of ad spend) or a hybrid of both. Basher typically works with operators spending USD 25K a month or more in paid media, and supports smaller brands during a launch when there is a clear scaling plan. Directional 2026 ranges by service are in our iGaming marketing agency cost guide.
Get in touch
Greece rewards operators who plan around the approval process instead of fighting it. If you hold an HGC licence, are applying for one, or want to review how your Greek marketing is structured, talk to us.
- Book a Greece market review: /contact/
- Read our regulated-Europe view: /markets/europe-regulated/
Sources
All sources checked 1 October 2026.
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, B2C Online licences
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, The gaming market
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Register of online licence holders
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Law 4002/2011, consolidated text including Law 4635/2019 amendments (PDF)
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Ministerial Decision 79292 ΕΞ 2020, Gaming Regulation on Commercial Communication, English translation (PDF)
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Directive 4/2021 on Commercial Communication Plans, English translation (PDF)
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Directive 3/2023 on marking of commercial announcements, English (PDF)
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Directive 1/2026 on play-for-fun games (PDF)
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Assessment of Commercial Communication Plans
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Affiliates Online
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Blacklist of unlicensed providers, 53rd edition
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Website legality check
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Frequently asked questions
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Directive 6/2021 on games under exclusive rights (PDF)
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Legislation
- Hellenic Gaming Commission, Annual Report 2025, Greek (PDF)