Greece hosts tender for cybersecurity partner of gambling

The Hellenic Gambling Supervision and Control Commission (EEEP) has launched a tender which will aim to appoint a ”specialist legal and technical partner” to strengthen player monitoring on Greece’s online gambling market.

The directive forms part of the government’s broader strategy to enhance oversight of the online gambling sector by improving player identification, anti-money laundering (AML) safeguards and cybersecurity commands. 

The tender seeks to find a partner that will help redesign and strengthen the framework that oversees the secure identification of players using Electronic Player Accounts (EPAs). 

A new technical framework is required to enhance Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures to ensure licensed operators maintain robust protections against fraud, financial crime and underage gambling.

According to the tender documents, the EEEP is seeking assistance with “the design and improvement of the framework for the secure identification of gambling players”, combined with  “the process of certification and verification of the identity of players participating in games of chance through licensed online gaming providers”.

The successful contractor will provide specialist legal support until the end of 2026, or until 190 hours of consultancy work have been completed, under a contract valued at €28.5k (£24.3k) excluding VAT. 

During the engagement, three progress reports will be submitted outlining recommendations and proposals to strengthen Greece’s player verification framework.

Greece toughens hands against black market 

The tender represents the latest stage of Greece’s wider drive to tighten oversight of its regulated online gambling market while disrupting the growth of the black market.

In June, the Greek Government submitted the draft “Regulations for the Hellenic Gaming Commission (EEEP) and Improvements to the Gaming Framework” to Parliament, proposing the most significant expansion of the regulator’s powers since Greece regulated its online gambling market.

The legislation would increase the EEEP’s permanent workforce from 80 to 110 employees, with new recruitment focused on specialists in cybersecurity, information technology, intelligence gathering, market surveillance and enforcement to combat illegal gambling networks.

Under the proposals, the regulator would gain powers to order the immediate removal of illegal gambling websites and online content, expand Greece’s blacklist of unlicensed operators and work alongside law enforcement through an enhanced Gaming Inspectors Corps with formal investigative powers.

The bill will also introduce some of Europe’s toughest sanctions against illegal gambling. Individuals organising illegal gambling operations could face prison sentences of at least 10 years, alongside fines ranging from €50,000 to €700,000. 

Aggravated offences involving organised criminal activity, minors or repeat violations would attract fines of up to €800,000 and prison sentences of more than 10 years for criminal violations related to money laundering, fraud and tax evasion. 

The reforms follow repeated warnings from Greek Economic Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis that illegal gambling has become both a criminal and economic threat. 

The government estimates that the black market generates between €1.6bn and €2bn annually, depriving the Greek state of approximately €600m in tax revenues each year.