No more online poker in Greece

[Theo]

The government blocks 401 gambling web sites, and this is just the beginning.

 

[peter]

perhaps a way for the state to generate some extra revenue? Only allow state-sanctioned gambling? It's what they do here in Sweden but offline. Only the state is allowed to facilitate gambling IRL, as well as sell alcohol

 

[Theo]

Peter - correct. The government assigns all gambling to a company, currently this is the previously state-run OPAP (how convenient) with the contract expiring in 2020. All other physical gambling is prohibited. So now they want to block online gambling completely. Does Sweden block access to poker, betting/booking web sites located outside of the country?

 

[asfas]

I have a friend that makes 5 or 6 figures a year playing online poker. I guess it's time he relocates LOL

OPAP is not a national organization any more. The greek state has only a small % of the shares which are going to be sold in the near future anyway.

 

[Theo]

Correct, but the state receives its share from the licensed gambling. They do this to prevent losing control of who wins what and how much.

 

[asfas]

Just today access to the majority of online bookies got restricted. With the exception of a handful bookies who have acquired a license and are operating legally (paying a tax to the state)