Back in 2002, Greece banned all forms of online gambling, which was of course bad news for fans of online bingo. The move was an attempt to reduce organised crime, but following the country’s problems during the financial crisis, temporary iGaming licenses started to be issued once again in 2011.
While this was certainly an improvement for bingo players, it soon became clear that the state’s gaming and lottery company, OPAP, was in complete control of the market and preventing true competition. This led to an exodus of operators and a tough lesson for the country as it earnt just €60,000 in tax revenue between 2013 and 2016.
Luckily, rather than double down on its monopoly, Greece introduced new legislation and in July 2021, the Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC) awarded permanent licenses to 15 operators. The licensing fees are high (it costs €2 million for an online casino license), but the industry is beginning to thrive.
Furthermore, the HGC is continuing its fight against offshore operators, which makes conditions more favourable for those who are properly licensed.
The Greek iGaming market is continuing to grow. While it may not be the largest market in Europe, online gambling now contributes a great deal to the nation’s economy. As the operating conditions become less and less monopoly like, more and more operators are applying for licenses and beginning to offer their services to Greek players.
Prior to 2023, twenty-four licenses had been granted by the HGC and a number of additional licenses have already been awarded this year. It is not just iGaming operators that are applying for licenses, but also providers.
This is good news for all types of gamblers, including fans of online bingo, as it gives them more choice, whether looking for slots, bingo games, or even online casino sites.
One of the licenses awarded earlier this year was to Relax Gaming. The company is behind a number of famous slots, such as Money Train 3, Temple Tumble 2 Dream Drop, and many more. In fact, there are more than 4,000 games available through Relax Gaming thanks to its game aggregation program.
Of more interest to us is Relax Gaming’s bingo product. It brings online bingo fans a fantastic selection of games, ensuring that those in Greece can enjoy top quality bingo with ease.
The developer offers all of the most popular forms of the game, such as 90-ball and 75-ball bingo, as well as speed versions and a number of unique variants. There is also a particular focus on jackpots and Relax Gaming claims to pay out thousands of Euros every day through different jackpot games. You can learn more about the bingo software provider in our Relax Gaming networks review.
The entire experience is tailored towards the modern player. All the games are designed with a mobile-first attitude, ensuring that it is possible to play bingo while relaxing on Greece’s beautiful beaches. At the same time, there are a number of Mini Games on offer, which are essentially small versions of slot games that can be played simultaneously with bingo.
One of the most popular Relax Gaming bingo innovations is HexaBingo. It is a quick-fire version of the game that is based upon the Jackpot Sit’N’Go poker format to bring players more action, more winners, and huge prizes.
Players at a Relax Gaming powered bingo site will also find a huge variety of themed rooms, ensuring that there is something for every taste. For instance, there are rooms themed on different sports, such as Velodrome and The Pitch, mystery themed rooms, such as The Crime Scene, and of course traditional rooms.
Online bingo players in Greece now have plenty of reasons to be thankful to Hermes, the Greek god of gambling. There are a number of sites offering a wide choice of quality games, jackpots, promotions, and more, and this is only set to grow as the HGC continues to award more licenses.
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