Greek Sports Betting

Betting on sports became legal in Greece in 2000. It is run by the Greek Organization of Football Prognostics, or OPAP, which has a monopoly over all sports betting activity until 2020. OPAP is owned by the Greek government with a 33% share. OPAP still holds an exclusive concession for land-based (retail) fixed-odds sports betting until 2030, but online sports betting is now open to other licensed operators under the 2019–2020 reforms. OPAP itself is now fully privatized; the State no longer owns a blocking minority.

Sports betting games currently being run by OPAP include Propo, PropoGoal, Pama Stihima and Proto.

In an effort to boost government revenue, debt-laden Greece slapped a 30% levy on OPAP’s gross earning starting January 2013. Gambling taxation has since been harmonized: all licensed online and most land-based gambling is taxed at 35% of GGR (30% for horse racing), plus 22% corporate income tax on profits, making Greece one of Europe’s most heavily taxed gaming markets.

In early 2013, the HRADF placed the rights of OPAP and the Greek Lotteries on the open market. The license will cover exclusive rights to operate and manage the sports betting business with an initial period of 12 years. Those exclusive retail rights were later extended to 2030 in return for additional consideration to the State.