VIE 29 DE MARZO DE 2024 - 10:06hs.
Parliament passed law

Greece approves new gambling reforms

Greece’s parliament has passed a package of legislation designed to boost the local economy, including a bill that reforms the country’s gambling laws. The ‘Invest in Greece’ package allows operators to continue offering slot machines games, lowers licence fee to €3 million, and sets a 35% gross revenue tax on them. Operators with temporary licenses issued in 2011 can continue operating until March 31, 2020, having to reapply when they expires.

The gaming bill included in the ‘Invest in Greece’ package will see operators permitted to continue offering Random Number Generator (RNG) games, such as slots, something omitted from an earlier draft.

This proposed prohibition of RNG games had proved particularly controversial, prompting operators to threaten a legal challenge against the ban.

The final bill also lowers the licence fee to €3 million, down from the original €5 million, and sets a 35% gross revenue tax for licensees. A 20% corporation tax will also be applied before the 35% revenue tax is subtracted, in a move that strategic consultancy Regulus Partners said would effectively make legal avoidance of tax “impossible.”

In addition, the 24 online operators who were issued temporary Greek licenses in 2011 will be allowed to continue operating under these licences until March 31, 2020, having to reapply when this certification expires.

The bill also blocks operators that were placed on the Hellenic Gaming Commission's blacklist of operators in the past 12 months from applying for a licence.

‘Invest in Greece’ package was passed with 165 votes in favour and 122 votes against. It will now be presented to the country's president, Prokopis Pavlopoulos, to be signed into law.

Source: GMB / iGaming Business