Lawsuits against 18 influencers for the promotion of illegal gambling have already been filed, with the relevant cases being in the preliminary investigation process, as noted by the Minister of National Economy and Finance, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, during today’s briefing meeting at the offices of the Hellenic Gaming Commission (EEEP), on the developments and its actions following the passage of the bill for the regulation of the gambling market and the strengthening of the Commission.
“The message in every direction must be one: The internet is not a jungle. Anonymity does not provide immunity and influence entails responsibility”, the minister stressed.
Mr. Pierrakakis noted that approximately 15,000 websites had been included on the blacklist, reflecting the scale of the challenge in tackling illegal gambling.
He explained that illegal gambling constantly changes form, making use of the internet, mobile phones, platforms and social networks. An illegal website can change address and reappear very quickly, while an illegal game can reach a large audience through a link, a video, an influencer or a streamer.
“Illegality evolves, the state’s response must stay ahead of it”, he stressed, linking this need to the changes in the institutional framework last June. As he noted, the Gaming Inspectors Corps was strengthened with special investigative powers and the Commission with 110 organic positions, of which 40 are for special scientific staff. At the same time, the possibility of immediate administrative sanctions for illegal online promotion was established, with fines of up to 5,000 euros per violation.
He placed particular emphasis on the use of digital tools and artificial intelligence for mapping illegal networks, the faster identification of websites and their promotion channels, as well as their blocking in cooperation with the EETT and access providers. “Technology cannot and must not function as a shield for illegality; it must become a tool for combating it”, he emphasized.
The minister made it clear that illegal activity on the internet creates no “gray zone,” while a website being based outside Greece does not imply tolerance. Promotion through social networks, he added, does not exempt anyone from their responsibility. “The rules apply everywhere, the rules apply to everyone,” he stressed.
In closing, the minister stressed that repression alone is not enough, as the core of the problem remains social. He emphasized the need for prevention, information and cooperation with the competent bodies to address addiction, with priority given to the protection of minors and young people.
“We cannot consider it normality for a new generation to encounter gambling ever earlier in its digital life”, he noted.