Greek finance minister announces lawsuits against 18 influencers for illegal gambling promotion

At a session of the independent Committee for Supervision and Control of Games, Finance Minister Kyriakos Pierrakakis reported that prosecutors have filed lawsuits against 18 influencers for promoting illegal gambling activities online. He noted that the illegal gambling sector now operates through websites, mobile devices and social media, making rapid detection essential. To counter this, the government upgraded the legal framework in June, expanding the committee’s staff to 110 positions and adding 40 specialist experts.

The committee now has enhanced investigative authority and can levy administrative penalties of up to 50,000 euros per violation. Pierrakakis stressed that online promotion does not create a legal gray zone and that jurisdiction applies regardless of where a website is hosted. He called for early detection using digital tools and artificial intelligence to block illegal sites and protect especially young users.