Greece Defends Tax Increase on Player Winnings

Greek Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis stood behind the decision to increase the tax on winnings from online casino games. The minister said the step aims to raise revenue for public services.

According to data published in October, taxes deducted from gambling winnings between January and August 2026 totaled 369 million euros (307 million pounds sterling). This figure is 27.3 percent higher than the 290 million euros recorded for the same period of the previous year. Total gross gaming revenue rose 4.2 percent to 2.06 billion euros. However, this data covers the entire betting market and does not separately show the effect of the tax increase introduced in July.

The tax change took effect on July 1. For online casino winnings between 100 and 500 euros, the rate was raised from 15 percent to 20 percent, and for winnings above 500 euros, it was raised from 20 percent to 30 percent. Winnings up to 100 euros remain exempt from tax. Pierrakakis said the change is expected to bring in about 100 million euros in additional revenue. It was stated that the revenue will be used to support households and businesses facing higher energy costs.

Deputy Minister Thanos Petralias argued that the rapid growth in online casino and poker requires a larger contribution to public finances. Petralias added that the sector could become a lasting source of revenue for the state budget and for future measures. When asked whether the tax increase would push players toward unlicensed sites, he said that demand elasticity had been taken into account in revenue forecasts and that operator data had been examined. He also pointed to accompanying legislation aimed at combating illegal betting. It was noted that sports betting and OPAP's other products remain under separate tax rules.